Painting The Sky
by A time lord at Hogwarts
Summary: Gabrielle Delacour has decided to spend a year at Hogwarts, but with Voldemort freshly returned and Umbridge ruling the school, it's not easy. And what happens when she finds out that she is more important than she could have ever dreamed. Fifth year with Gabi added in and told with many changes, gets slightly AU at end. will be regular updates.
1. Chapter 1

(A/N) PLEASE READ: I always particularly liked the character of Gabrielle Delacour, especially because she's an open slate, JK Rowling never really developed her. So here is my take on Gabrielle, and my own inventions of her life. This follows Gabrielle as she goes to Hogwarts for her 4th year and becomes fast friends with our main gang. Since I am entirely tired of seeing fanfics that participate in the horror that is Weasley bashing and Dumbledore Bashing, this story shall be a story of the awesomeness of the Weasley's and of Dumbledore.  
So here you go, read on. I must warn you, as I am adding three characters into the mix, this does not keep canon with OoTP. Also I must warn you I am making some big big big changes, Gabi is much more important than she knows yet, and I am also adding an original first person veiw point styling to the story. I still will use some exacts from the book though, dialogue and the such, but it will also be mostly original. Oh, and last thing, since this is a Fred/Gabrielle fanfic, Fred will not be dying. In fact. I plan on taking this story, though it will probably be in the sequels that I do this, all the way through Deathly Hallows. And in Deathly Hallows, Fred will survive for the epilogue! Yay!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. JK Rowling owns Harry Potter and his world, I own a few Lego sets, three tee-shirts, and a wand, but nothing else. Though the original voice of Gabrielle, the original developments in the storyline, and my two OC's, those are all mine!

Chapter 1: Painting The Sky  
"your existence is unfair" one of my only two friends in the entire world says. She's laying on my bed tossing a small bouncy ball into the air and catching it. "I mean I love you to peices but sometimes I want to just like rip your face off?" she jokes. I sigh and look into the mirror. A part Veela body and face stare back at me. Impossibly beautiful and it makes me want to jump off a cliff.  
Here's the thing about being beautiful, especially if it's coupled with the Veela allure, people hate you. I mean seriously all the girls at beaxbatons despise me, just like they despised my sister in her time. Hence the only two friends thing. "Ria I love you too but I would kill for your face" I joke back to my friend. She laughs, her dark coffee skin and lovely black eyes make an irresistibly beautiful face, the opposite of my pale blonde veelaness. She is a part Veela as well, just opposite color scheme from my blonde hair blue eyes pale cream skin look.  
"Could you girls just accept your creepy beauty and get back to getting ready to leave?" our other friend CJ asks exsasperated. Even though CJ is only 14 like us he is already absolutly certain that he is very very gay. Which isrobably why he's such a good fit to be friends with us, cause lets be honest, guys who drool get boring. CJ treats us like normal witches. Speaking of me and my friends, I guess I should tell you a bit about us.

Name (me): Gabrielle Delacour (call me Brie)  
Age: 14 and three months  
Hair: blonde  
Eyes: blue  
Hight: 5"3  
Development progress: we'll I finally fill out a bra, albeit a small bra...  
Family: two parents, very rich and powerful. daddy is very very sweet. Maman is very very snooty but adores her daughters so it okay. One sister- Fluer Delacour. Past triwizard champion, currently living in England. (I miss her so much!)  
School: No longer beaxbatons! At the end of this summer I transfer to Hogwarts for a year! Maybe two! I liked it so much when I visited the triwizard championship last year I decided to come back for my forth year of school. Ria and Ceej are coming as well, like I'd go anywhere without them.  
Thing people don't know about Veela: we're actually really smart.  
Current beauty status: sickingly beautiful in this little white sundress maman laid out for me to wear today for my trip to Paris with Ria and CJ. I need new things for Hogwarts. so do they.  
Relationship status: hahhahahahahahaha good one.  
And finally...  
# of attempted pedophiling on me by creepy men: 43

Name (my best friend): Rialla Sinor (Goes by Ria)  
Age: 14 and two months  
Hair: Black and gorgeous  
Eyes: see above  
Hight: 5"5  
Developmental progress: boobs and hips that male mine look like nothing.  
Family: Tante Karmela or Aunt Kari for you Americans. She was raised by her aunt who also happens to be one of the most amazing people in the world I might add. Her parents died when she was three months old. She doesn't dwell on missing them, she's happy how things are.  
School: same as me  
Thing people don't know about Veela: we aren't all blonde haired  
Current Beauty status: she far surpasses me, don't listen to her lies!  
Relationship status: hahahahahahhhahaaaa. You've gotta quit these jokes  
And finally...  
# of attempted pedophiling on her by creepy men: 37 (I'm beating her out there! Wait that's not a good thing...)

Name (other best friend): Charles James Artulie (try calling him anything but CJ, I dare you)  
Age: 14 and 8 months  
Hair: brown and kinda long. His mom wants him to cut it.  
Eyes: Hazel  
Hight: 5"7  
Developmental progress: he's accepted his sexuality, also his voice has deepened  
Family: Mom and dad, not very approving of him. Two big brothers, also not approving.  
School: haven't you picked up on this yet? Same as me!  
Things people don't know about Gay boys: they don't always act gay or talk like girls they are just normal guys, and also they do really generally like show tunes.  
Current handsomeness status: he's very handsome, too bad he isn't on the market, well at least not for me...  
Relationship status: he has this pen pal that's also his boyfriend, Tristan. I hav yet o me this tristan boy and declare my approval.  
And finally...  
# of times pedophiled on by creepy men: 0 (that lucky boy)

"Gabrielle dahling" my maman says knocking on the door to my room, "Papa has told me zee car just arrived" she tells mean jer heavily accented flawedEnglish that she is practicing. I have a good English accent these days, I've been practicing. We have muggle chauffeurs take us to Paris. This is actually the first time maman has not insisted we are also accompanied by a bodyguard. Probably because CJ has gotten so tall and strong looking. Though none of us can use magic yet unfortunatly, and it's extra dangerous in the magical world right now. I mean my parents are members of the Order of The Pheonix, even if we live in France, and we all know Voldemort's returned. (I will not call him you-know-who no matter how much people flinch. You-know-who just sounds plain stupid. No, I don't know who.) but we're going to muggle Paris anyway, so it doesn't really matter.  
"Oui Mama, we'll be down in a minute" I tell her. I hear her footsteps clicking away. Mama is half Veela, very beautiful, and married to the minister of magic of France. She always gets what she wants, and what she wants right now is for me to come downstairs wearing this flowy little sundress. Even if I'd prefer a baggy tee shirt and jean shorts.  
"Come on Brie, we'll be late" CJ urges. I was lost in thought looking out the window. Thinking about painting the view that evening. Art is my favorite thing and the thing I am good at, unfortunatly they don't have any art classes at Hogwarts. If I bring all my painting supplies I'm sure I'll survive. Maman says my art good be hung in meuseams, it is beautiful she tells me. I think she's desperate for something to be proud of. I'll never be a prim and proper triwizard champ like Fleur. I'm good at magic and I'm smart, but they just aren't my thing. I'm not perfect the way Fleur is, I'm flawed and rebellious, and this thing is, I kinda like it that way.

It is endlessly hot out here. I swear I am going to die of heat stroke. I am going to faint from dehydration, I'm going to... Eh I'm out of things to say. But seriously, it's hot. But then again, Paris is just so nice! Especially with no maman to choose what I buy. I like my new crop top and jean short short outfits. They are in no way proper witch attire. They are skanky teenage muggle rebel attire. And let's be honest, I love it!  
After five different stores CJ looks ready to kill both Ria and I. Not our fault we wanted some new clothes for Britain. Gosh. Ria runs her hand through her hair and her crop top lifts up to reveal her stomach. A ripple of awed sighs goes through the boys on the sidewalk near us. This is okay so far, boys admiring is fine. It's when they decide to do more than that we have a problem. "Be careful Ria!" CJ says, he's protective of us quite a bit. "You don't have to see yourself" he tells her sighing. "we don't need to get attacked and have Brie's maman reinstate bodyguard rules." he points out.  
"Fine I'll wear a nun's habit then" she grouches, but she does stop lifting her arms up and messing with her hair. I look up at the sky and try to commit the colors to memory. The sky is never simply blue, it is so much more. A million different shades of color meeting together in harmony, flowing close and apart. Painting pictures of things you can't explain. I love to paint it, the untouchable colors of the sky.  
"She's painting in her head again" I hear CJ groan. "We won't be able to drag her from the easel when we get home. She's gonna be covered in paint by the end of the night too" he complains, I ignore him.  
"Aww let her be, our friend is a freak Ceej, haven't you realized by now. She's loony, she spends way to much time in a world nobody else can see. One full of colors" Ria's words weren't meant as cruelty, they were meant affectionately, I didn't break my connection with the sky's colors. I spread my arms wide and tried to take it all in, the picture I must have made right then. A young girl standing on a Paris street in a small white sundress, mountains of moonlight hair and her arms spread why, blue eyes taking in the sky. People actually took photographs.  
"Come on love" CJ pulled me along away from the crowd of people staring at me. I hadn't even realized what I was doing. I really do get lost in my own world. See the thing is I'm not normal or proper or well behaved like I should be. I'm a wild child who refuses to wear shoes, spends all her times in the woods or by the sea, and gets lost in color and makes a fool of herself on a crowded street. I'm my mothers worst nightmare in terms of society's opinions. I'm weird, different from other people. I know I should spend more time trying to attend lunches with maman and perfecting my looks like Fleur. I shouldn't have calluses on my perfect Veela feet from walking over rocks on the beach. Veela are generally healed of any blemish immediately, but I think the calluses stay out of habit. I shouldn't run away when maman tries to put me in frilly outfits and make me brush my usually unbrushed hair, though even unbrushed I can't get it to do anything but lay perfect. I'm not like maman and Fleur, I'm not the way the jealous beaxbatons kids think i am. In truth and honesty, though maman will disown me for saying this, I am not perfect, not perfect at all. And when your a Veela your supposed to be. I'm not though, I'm just me.  
"Drawing a crowd again I see?" a voice behind me asks. I know that voice! I whip around and fling myself into my big sisters arms, she laughs and spins me around. "Gabi!" she squeals, I only allow Fleur to call me that, as I love her more than practically anyone else in the world.  
"Flee!" I squeal back, calling her the nickname I gave her as a little kid when I could not really pronounce Fleur. "What are you doing here?" I asked as she set me down on the ground and hugged Ria and CJ.  
"Well Maman told me you were going muggle shopping today, so I figured i'd catch you here and give you your big surprise over lunch in someone's favorite Paris Cafe" she says happily. Fleur loves this one cafe near the Luxombourg garden. She misses it terribly with all this time spent in England.  
"How's Bill?" I ask as we all head down the street. She met Bill at Gringotts and now they're going steady. He's very nice, and very handsome as well.  
"He's wonderful actually" she tells me smiling widely. "But that's sort of what I need to talk to you about." we reached the cafe and sat outside. Fleur raised a delicate hand and was swarmed by waiters offering to,take her order. CJ rolled his eyes, but Ria and I just giggled, used to this kind of thing. "you see Bill's family is really involved in the Order, which I assume Papa has told you is starting up again?" I nod and she continues. "Well his family is staying at the headquarters, and they told me I could extend a very kind invitation to you. They said you could spend the last two weeks of summer staying with them so that you can get your things at Diagon Alley and get used to the English culture." she tells me. Woah, two weeks living in England with the Weasley family, some of whom I met last year. This is so exciting.  
"Vraiment? They're going to let me stay with them" I ask her. She nods.  
"Unfortunately however, there is no room for Ria and CJ, do you think you could bare the separation for two weeks" she jokes, ruffling my hair. As sad as it makes me I know I obviously can.  
"Will you miss me too desperately mon Cherie's?" I ask teasingly.  
"Nah, not at all" Ria jokes, I laugh.  
"I forgot, this entire friendship is a lie, you actually hate me" I say sarcastically.  
"She's found us out!" CJ says fearfully. Fleur watches us with amusement. Her prim and proper ladyness did not get passed on to me in the least. Yet we still love each other more than anything and get along perfectly. She's not the type of person I usually like, nor am,I the type she likes, yet we adore each other. Fleur is extremely protective of her wild and crazy little sister, and I am in return unendingly adoring of my graceful and beautiful big sister.  
"So I can tell Dumblydore that you're coming, 'Arry Potter we'll be there as well Gabi" she tells me, I blush crimson. I admit that I had a sligh crush on him right after the second task when he saved me, but I'm totally over it now. Fleur just likes teasing me.  
"Dumbledore, Fleur" I say in my English accent "and Harry Potter, not Dumblydore and 'Arry" I corrected her, she rolled her eyes. Knowing she was only getting my sass because she had teased me.  
"Brie, are you going to drink that?" Ria motioned at my untouched hot chocolate. I was too excited to drink.  
"Non, you can have it." I waved my hand at her. "So I will not be a burden vraiment?" I ask.  
"Non, though there has been a bit of trouble with 'Arry, seems he's being blamed for a little run-in with some dementors." she shudders, as do,all of us. Dementors are my idea of hell. Luckily I happen to be particularly good at patrons charms, at all types of spells really. The only thing magically I'm not advanced in is potions. But I can produce a full potronus, mine takes the shape of a Pheonix, which Fluer says is the same as "Dumblydore's". I've always had a thing for Phoenix's, such beautiful wild creatures. So colorful and free, you can never tame a Pheonix.  
"Is he alright?" I asked concerned.  
"Oui, Mais, he has to go to the ministry for a trial. I wonder if Papa could do anything about the situation" Fleur enjoyed flashing papa's power about to get things. I rolled my eyes at her.  
"Fleur if france starts interfering in the British ministry they are not going to take well to it at all." Ria spoke up. Fleur nodded thoughtfully.  
"Oui, C'est Vrai" she said considering. "I do have to go though Gabi, I have to,catch my portkey back to London. Will I see you in a month for your two weeks n England?" she asked to confirm. I nodded. She kissed my cheek and ruffled my silky hair. "Love you Gabrielle" she said.  
"Love you Flee" I said giggling. She walked off behind a corner and I heard the soft crack of her dissaparating. "So what do you guys think of all this?" I asked my friends, twirling my finger in my nearly empty due to Ria hot chocolate.  
"It's exciting. I mean, we'll miss you, but it's really exciting" CJ said. I nodded slowly.  
"I hope we actually make friends at Hogwarts" Ria says sighing. "what if it's like Beauxbatons and everybody hates us?" she looks nervous and sad, her beautiful face twisted by memories of past hate. "What if the male teachers are all creeps, like that Professor Marks was." she says, bringing up the creepy Beauxbatons professor who was fired after attempting to assault Ria and I. This is what happens when you're Veela. These are the things you go through.  
"It won't be that way." I say, though of course I have no idea. I hope it won't be that if I'm going early. See it's scary going somewhere without my friends, they are my support system and my protectors. How do I survive things without them. At least i'll be near my sister.  
I look back up at the sky, the blues have grown brighter, not a cloud in sight. The. clouds have opened up like a door, a door leading to a whole new life. I'm stepping through the door to destiny, and who knows where it will take me.


	2. Chapter 2

(A/N): Hey, chapter 2! This chapter contains some dialogue from the Harry Potter books, just because I need to set the scene, and lots of chapters may contain direct dialogue in some parts, but I am dedicated to making this story as original and interesting as possible. Rate and Review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the storyline, characters, or world it is set in.

Chapter 2: Number 12 Grimauld Place  
"Gabrielle dear you must be careful careful careful" my father stresses. He hugs me tightly and kisses my forehead. Papa worries so much over me and my sister, we are his pride and joy. And with the whole French ministry at his command he will go to any lengths to protect us.  
"Papa I will be fine!" I tell him laughing. I touch his cheek comfortingly and look at him with my biggest puppy eyes. "Promise you will not worry too much" I make him swear.  
"Yes Angel I promise I shall not be too worried, so long as you write every day" he jokes. I laugh and kiss both his cheeks. My father calls me his angel and Fleur his flower. "Now go, catch your portkey and leave this old man to his broken heart" he teases. I go to Maman and hug her tightly as well.  
"I love you both" I say and here them say it back before I touch the tip of the portkey. The sensation is instant. I'm being thrown up into the air and I can feel the world swinging around me. I know I'm supposed to close my eyes, but I force them open. I want the image the portkey will provide, all those millions of colors spinning at the speed of light crashing together. Think of how fun it wold be to paint it! All my bags are being sent over by post so it's just me and my small coin purse that lands in a dark alley on a muggle street. All by myself. Merde, I curse, though Vella aren't supposed to swear, not lady like. Fleur was supposed to meet me here. Where is she? I step out of the alley and I'm blinded by the light of the day. I survey my surroundings once my vision returns, which takes a bit probably because it's so messed up from the portkey. I'm on an average residential street. Muggle houses line the sidewalk, the only thing odd at all is the house numbers. It goes from 11 Grimauld Place to 13 Grimauld Place. Hmm, if my intelligence serves me, I am sensing a fidelity in the area. Of course I still can't get in until someone tells me the address, despite the fact that I've guessed the Order's secret headquarters is Number 12 Grimauld Place. I glance around nervously as someone cat-calls to me from down the street. I shouldn't have worn my new clothes, cute as they are, they attract attention. Where is Fleur?  
A group of University age boys comes wandering towards me. "Hey lovely, wanna come hang with us?" one asks. I shake my head and look away, locating my wand in my pocket. Does the statute of under-age magic apply if boys are harassing you? I'm sure Papa wouldn't think it does and he is minister...  
"Shove off" I say, using the British slang I memorized. I tried for my English accent, but as my voice was full of fear it came out with a distinct French sound.  
"Oohh she's French!" another of the boys crowed. "Come on hon, we just want to show a beautiful girl a good time!" he said, his voice snaked around me and squeezed at my throat. If this continued I wouldn't have to worry about breaking the underage magic laws, my anger would do it for me.  
Things went from bad to worse as one of the boys, who I was trying to ignore completely, grabbed my wrist. Merde. This was going down hill fast. Then salvation arrived in the form of a very very angry, very very beautiful, and very very let Fleur.  
"Excuzee moi? What do you zink you are doing wizz ma petite siszzter?" she asked angrily, she flipped her hair and the boys stammered. "I hope you you were not zinking of 'urting 'er, becauzze zen I would have quite zee problem, you see?" her voice was strong and commanding, everything I wished mine to be. She could control anybody with her perfection. "Come along Gabi" she said to me, reverting back to french. "These boys will suffer in their own time, I promise that" there was a malicious glint in her eyes. My sister doesn't take well to anyone who does not treat me perfectly. As I said, she is ferociously protective, and she will not allow any mistreatment to her beloved baby sister.  
"I think I already know the address" I said proudly when she handed me a slip of folded paper.  
"You can see through the fog of confundus charms to recognize that 11 and 13 are odd? Gabi that is extreamly difficult for the oldest of Wizards. Most would pass this spot and think that these houses were made next to each other for o odd reason at all." she assessed me curiously. "You are smarter and stronger than even I knew, when did you do all this maturing?" she asked wonderingly.  
I shrugged embarrassed, recognizing the address hadn't seemed a big deal to me, it was so obvious. I opened the slip of paper and memorized the address I already knew very quickly, then looked up to see it had formed before my eyes. Fluer led me up onto the porch and knocked on the door with the giant brass knocker. It swung open to reveal the harried looking red-haired woman I had seen last year at the cup. The mother of another of the hostages, that Ron Weasley boy that had been dazed after my sister had kissed his cheek. From the way she was looking at Fleur, I got the sense she didn't adore her too much, it then again, Fleur's prissy attitude could wear on anyone after a while, I'd have to show her I wasn't afraid to do chores and to work hard. Hopefully she's like me and invite me to stay again sometime.  
"Bonjour Mizzus Weasley" Fleur said smiling and brushing into the house. "Zis is ma sister Gabrielle. She is very well behaved and should noz cause enee problems" Fleur informed the kind looking woman "Isn't zat right Gabi?" Fleur turned to me. I nodded quickly and tested a smile at Mrs. Weasley. She smiled back hesitantly. I could tell she had her reservations about allowing a prissy little Fleur in training into the house. She was over reacting I think, I mean Fleur is not so bad, she's lovely once you get to love her. "Now Gabi I must be going" Fleur spoke her rapid French. "you will behave, non?" I rolled my eyes.  
"I promise not to sustain any major injuries or cause any life threatening accidents" I said crossly. Yes I was a bit accident prone, but come one, it's not like all part Veela could be graceful like Fleur. Well okay so most can, but that doesn't mean I can. "Now go, I love you Flee" I say.  
"Je t'aime ma petite angel" she says back, kissing my dissaperates quickly and I turn to Mrs. Weasley.  
"Hello" I say on my practiced accent. "I am Gabrielle Delacour. I hope to be as helpful as possible over the next two weeks" I said, not sure why that needed saying but it felt right. "I am so grateful zat you have let me stay 'ere" I sent her my best smile and the last of the ice on her face melted away.  
"Well aren't you just darling. I'll put you in a room with Ginny, she'll be the same year as you at Hogwarts, so she'll make a good friend for you dearie" Mrs. Weasley seemed very distracted, I noted to myself. I decided not to mention I'd actually be a year above Ginny. She seemed a bit overworked. "Ginerva Weasley get down here" she shouted loudly. I heard thumping footsteps and a groan.  
"What mother? I was trying to clean off the Nast stuff on the bottom side of that dresser in my room. Why do we have to stay here again?" The source of the voice had still not come to view.  
"Because we're cleaning this place to,make it more usable for the Order, plus don't you like to keep Sirius company?" she asked testily.  
"Well still" The girl said grumpily. Then she came round the corner from the stairs and I saw her. She was very pretty with lots of red hair falling soft on her shoulders. I smiled at her, despite the grimace on her face. "You must be Mini-Fleur" she said grumpily. Goodness why did none of these woman like Fleur. Were they like the Beauxbatons girls or was it just something about Fleur in particular.  
"Ginerva, greet the guest politely" Mrs. Weasley snapped at her daughter. "This is Gabrielle Delacour, she'll be attending Hogwarts this year and is staying with us until the term starts" Mrs. Weasley told her.  
"hi" Ginny said, holding out her hand to shake. I sensed she was more in a bad mood than actually disliking me.  
"Hi!" I said enthusiastically. "It is so wonderful to be here." I gushed. "I 'eard you play Quidditch?" I asked. She nodded, warming to me a little. "I ave always wanted to learn, but Fleur says it is too dangerous. And improper." I giggle. "I prefer all things Fleur calls improper, zough please do not tell 'er I said zat?" Ginny laughed out loud.  
"I can teach you!" she said, like her mother she had such a kind face once her anger melted away. She seemed like a great girl. "You seem like you might be able to fly well enough" she assessed me. "Though I wouldn't recommend going out for beater" she laughed. Mrs. Weasley had moved on back to what I presumed was the kitchen and Ginny started to lead me up the stairs she had come down. "bags arriving later then?" she asked noticing my empty hands. I nodded. "well I believe you'll be sharing my room, so let me lead the way, you don't snore do you?" she asked. I laughed.  
"non, I don't snore, well at least nobody has ever said I snore..." she laughed at that.  
"I like you kid, you're funny. So you excited for Hogwarts? I hear your a year above me even, isn't that a bit too far ahead, I mean jeeze you must be a genius" she asked, I was still smiling at her praise. Maybe I could actually make friends here.  
"Oui! I mean yes! It sounds fantastic. I can't wait to get to meet all zee new people, and to be sorted into a house, we didn't have houses at Beauxbatons. But no, I'm not zat intelligent. I'm only fifth year in zee defense against zee Dark Arts. All zee ozzer classes I'm in your year" I informed her. I hoped to be in any house but Slytherin. I knew Ginny herself was in Gryfindore, so I supposed that would be ideal. "Zis place ees nice, yes?" I said, trying to be complimentary. In reality this dirty grimy house was nothing compared to my mansion on the coast, complete with maids to keep it clean and hundreds of windows so I could always look outside.  
"Nice try" she scoffed as we entered the room. She gestured towards the dusty bed in the corner, her bed, across the room, was covered in old clothes and the such. "This place is a crap-hole. It isn't even our house either, it belonged to Sirius Black's family" she told me, flinging her red locks over her shoulder in a way I'd seen Fleur do. I wondered if I'd learn how to do that some day.  
"Thee Sirius Black?!" I asked. I knew from Papa that Dumbledore had informed him that Sirius was actually innocent, but I still thought of him as the mass murderer of a year ago. I know the whole innocence thing had to be kept under wraps any way, because at the moment Minister Fudge hated Dumbledore and Harry. I mean at least they had the full support of the French ministry.  
"Yes, thee Sirius Black. You'll meet him at dinner tonight" she laughed. "Now come in, tell me about yourself" she prompted. I was surprised she was interested, people at school had never been kind to me, but this girl was. Nobody really asked me about myself, all the people who cared were people who already knew me too well to need to ask.  
So for obvious reasons I had no clue what to say. I thought for a moment before stupidly blurting the first thing that comes to mind when I think about myself. "I'm a horrible Veela" I said. Ginny raised an eyebrow at me and smirked. I hastened to explain. "Well you know how Fleur is all graceful and beautiful and wouldn't be caught dead covered in leaves and dirt? Well I'm the opposite. I go into the forest to paint sometimes and I'll come out covered in leaves, dirt, and paint as well, it's my maman's worst nightmare, especially when she has company that sees me before the maids get me to a shower. Also I'm not at all graceful, I break things all the time and I trip over my own feet. Oh! And look at this" I pull my foot out my shoe and show a very surprised Ginny my calluses. "Veela aren't supposed to have these" I say a bit proudly. Ginny seems to have recovered from her surprise and is now looking at me appraisingly, as if I'm not what she expected, but better. I know I went a bit over-board telling her all this, but I kinda needed to get it out, it's a good way to start my new, not Veela identity in England.  
"Well then you are going to make a good roomie for me, cause I can't stand prissiness. Did I mention I can do a killer bat-bogey hex, I should teach you" and with that Ginny and I became friends. We talked for another half hour maybe, I was pleasantly surprised to find she was very funny, especially when she told stories about her two big brothers, Fred and George. They sounded hilarious. I also could easily glean from the conversation that Ginny very much loved Harry Potter, she clearly had a huge crush on him.  
"You know, the others should be done with chores by now,mi should introduce you! Well actually I'm sure you've already met Harry?" she asked.  
"Yeah, afzzer he pulled me out of the wazzer last year." I informed her. "Fleur still calls him a hero, zough I doubt zat I actually would've drowned" I laughed. "Still I am grateful" I said, to make sure I didn't belittle her hero's actions to the clearly in love girl.  
"You keep switching accents" Ginny noted as she led the way towards where I assumed Harry and Ron's room was.  
"Yes, I practiced my English accent, but I find it's hard to keep up when I get distracted"  
"Ah, I see. But I thought I'd mention one thing Brie, you should know you are actually much prettier than Fleur" she said and I stared at her incredulously.  
"what?" I dead panned. She laughed.  
"There's something so surreal and cool about you and your forest life, Fleur's proper beauty can't really compare to it. It's unique, special. Even if you are a cruddy Veela" she told me kindly. I walked silently for a minute, I was trying to take in what she had said, could it be true?  
A loud pop! Pulled me from my thoughts. I jumped startled and sun around only to be more startled by the two teens who had just appeared behind me. They were tall with shaggy red hair and devious grins on there faces, and they were identical. These must be the famous Twins. "Well hello Ginevra, may I ask who this lovely lady is?" the one on the left asked, presenting his hand to shake. "I'm Fred Weasley, and this is my brother George. We are master pranksters, if you play your cards right we might blow up a toilet in your name" he said smiling. He wasn't creepy at all however, like a lot of boys were when they met me. He was just funny, and he seemed genuinely not influenced by my allure. I liked him and George instantly. Was all of Britain this awesome? Or was it just the order.  
"Brie Delacour" I said shaking his hand, "And only if I can blow it up with you" I said, causing all three to laugh.  
"She's totally the opposite of Phlegm right?" Ginny said to her brothers excitedly. Phlegm? I wondered as they pulled me down the hallway. They pulled me straight Into a room at the end of another darkened hall.  
"Harry, Ron!" George said as the twins swept into the room. "ah and Hermione" I got the sense the twins did everything they did with a bit of unique flair. As I entered the room behind them, sweeping some of my hair in front of my face shyly. I was out of my element here. I normally had CJ, Ria, Papa, and my sister to defend and protect me at all costs, and despite the kindness of the people I and met so far, who knew if it would last.  
I soon found it wouldn't. I entered into the room with Ginny to be greeted by a vacant glare I recognized all too well from Ron Weasley. I had seen him stare at Fleur this way last year, but now I noticed that it was me. And also Hermione Granger was glaring at me. Great, so Harry's two best friends already seemed to dislike me/ like me too much. I tried a smile. "Hey guys, this is Gabbers, she is nothing like Phlegm" okay Gabbers? What?  
"What is Zis Gabbers?" I asked laughing, "And who iz Phlegm?" I added, though I already had a guess.  
"Well she introduces herself as Brie, but apparently Fred has decided to nickname her" Ginny said with an eye-roll.  
"Phlegm is a very good nickname for a very stuck-up person" George laughed.  
"My sizter?" I asked, greeted by nods. "Eh, she iz noz so bad when you get to know 'er" I tried. Knowing that unless you loved Fleur like I did she was never going to be easy to get along with. "But she ees razer 'ard to get along wizz if you don't put out an effort" I rolled my eyes.  
"Razzer 'ard" George mocked, "understatement of the year" he laughed. I hardly noticed though, I as distracted by something else.  
"Your hair!" I exclaimed at Hermione.  
"It's messy, yes, I thought she wasn't like her sister?" Hermione asked annoyed.  
"Non, non, I don't mean zat. Your hair ees very Beautiful ees all I meant. I always wanted sumszing else besides zis plain studs on my 'ead. So boring! Look at yours, full of curl and shape, think of all the lines and colors and textures that must meet on those curls. Oh you must let me paint you! You are so beautiful!" I squealed, overstepping my boundaries I suppose, by running up and touching her lovely curls.  
"She means it honestly Mione, already said the same stuff to me about the color of mine, though mine's as straight as hers" Ginny chimed in.  
"Ooohhh maybe I could do a co-portrait of you two, title it 'Beauty in Numbers'" I mused to myself. "Will you pose for me?" I begged. I could feel my hands itching or paint.  
"She certainly is an original" Hermione mused, she was mailing warmly at me now.  
"maybe she just sees things others don't" Harry suggested, but I didn't hear the kind conversation about me that followed, because I had already run off to get my sketch-pad.

My first dinner with the Order was actually, surprisingly, Harry's first as well. The order had just fetched him from his muggle aunt and uncle to get here and prepared for his trial. The dusty dark dining room put me off a little when I first entered, finally having finished my sketches, only to hear a loud shout. "Fred-George-NO, JUST CARRY THEM!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked.

Harry, Sirius and Mundungus looked around and, within a split second, they had dived away from the table. Fred and George had bewitched a large cauldron of stew, an iron flagon of Butterbeer, and a heavy wooden breadboard, complete with knife, to hurtle through the air towards them. The stew skidded the length of the table and came to a halt just before the end, leaving a long black burn on the wooden surface; the flagon of Butterbeer fell with a crash, spilling its contents everywhere; the bread knife slipped off the board and landed, point down and quivering ominously, exactly where Sirius's right hand had been seconds before.

'FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!' screamed Mrs. Weasley. 'THERE WAS NO NEED- I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS- JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO USE MAGIC NOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WHIP YOUR WANDS OUT FOR EVERY TINY LITTLE THING!'

'We were just trying to save a bit of time!' said Fred, hurrying forward to wrench the bread knife out of the table. 'Sorry, Sirius, mate-didn't mean to-'

Harry and Sirius were both laughing; Mundungus, who had toppled backwards off his chair, was swearing as he got to his feet; Crookshanks had given an angry hiss and shot off under the dresser, from where his large yellow eyes glowed in the darkness. I loved this place instantly, first night and already a warm and welcoming chaos enveloped me, I wouldn't feel out of place here.

'Boys,' Mr. Weasley said, lifting the stew back into the middle of the table, 'your mother's right, you're supposed to show a sense of responsibility now you've come of age-'

'-none of your brothers caused this sort of trouble!' Mrs. Weasley raged at the twins as she slammed a fresh flagon of Butterbeer onto the table, and spilling almost as much again. 'Bill didn't feel the need to Apparate every few feet! Charlie didn't charm everything he met! Percy-'

She stopped dead, catching her breath with a frightened look at her husband, whose expression was suddenly wooden. Who was Percy? Hadn't he been a judge at the tournament?

'Let's eat,' said Bill quickly.

'It looks wonderful, Molly,' said Lupin, ladling stew on to a plate for her and handing it across the table.

For a few minutes there was silence but for the chink of plates and cutlery and the scraping of chairs as everyone settled down to their food. Then Mrs. Weasley turned to Sirius.

'I've been meaning to tell you, Sirius, there's something trapped in that writing desk in the drawing room, it keeps rattling and shaking. Of course, it could just be a boggart, but I thought we ought to ask Alastor to have a look at it before we let it out.'

'Whatever you like,' said Sirius indifferently. He pearly didn't care much about the family house.

'The curtains in there are full of doxys, too,' Mrs. Weasley went on. 'I thought we might try and tackle them tomorrow.'

'I look forward to it,' said Sirius. I heard the sarcasm in his voice, but I was not sure that anyone else did. Well I assume Harry did by the half smile in his face.

Opposite Harry, Tonks was entertaining Hermione and Ginny by transforming her nose between mouthfuls. Screwing up her eyes each time with the same pained expression she had worn back in Harry's bedroom, her nose swelled to a beak-like protuberance that resembled Snape's, shrank to the size of a button mushroom and then sprouted a great deal of hair from each nostril. Apparently this was a regular mealtime entertainment, because Hermione and Ginny were soon requesting their favourite noses.

'Do that one like a pig snout, Tonks...'

Tonks obliged, and I laughed.

Mr. Weasley, Bill, and Lupin were having an intense discuss on about goblins.

'They're not giving anything away yet,' said Bill. 'I still can't work out whether or not they believe he's back. Course, they might prefer not to take sides at all. Keep out of it.'

'I'm sure they'd never go over to You-Know-Who,' said Mr. Weasley, shaking his head. 'They've suffered losses too; remember that goblin family he murdered last time, somewhere near Nottingham?'

'I think it depends what they're offered,' said Lupin. 'And I'm not talking about gold. If they're offered the freedoms we've been denying them for centuries they're going to be tempted. Have you still not had any luck with Ragnok, Bill?'

'He's feeling pretty anti-wizard at the moment,' said Bill, 'he hasn't stopped raging about the Bagman business, he reckons the Ministry did a cover-up, those goblins never got their gold from him, you know-'

A gale of laughter from the middle of the table drowned the rest of Bill's words. Fred, George, Ron, and Mundungus were rolling around in their seats.

'...and then,' choked Mundungus, tears running down his face, 'and then, if you'll believe it, 'e says to me, 'e says, " 'Ere, Dung, where didja get all them toads from? 'Cos some son of a Sludger's gone and nicked all mine!" And I says, "Nicked all your toads, Will, what next? So you'll be wanting some more, then?" And if you'll believe me, lads, the gormless gargoyle buys all 'is own toads back orf me for a lot more'n what 'e paid in the first place-' I laughed at that too, but shushed at the look on Mrs. Weasley's face.

'I don't think we need to hear any more of your business dealings, thank you very much, Mundungus,' said Mrs. Weasley sharply, as Ron slumped forwards on to the table, howling with laughter.

'Beg pardon, Molly,' said Mundungus at once, wiping his eyes and winking at Me. 'But, you know, Will nicked 'em orf Warty Harris in the first place so I wasn't really doing nothing wrong-'

'I don't know where you learned about right and wrong, Mundungus, but you seem to have missed a few crucial lessons,' said Mrs. Weasley coldly.

Fred and George buried their faces in their goblets of Butterbeer; George was hiccoughing. For some reason, Mrs. Weasley threw a very nasty look at Sirius before getting to her feet and going to fetch a large rhubarb crumble for pudding. Harry looked round at his godfather.

'Molly doesn't approve of Mundungus,' said Sirius in an undertone.

'How come he's in the Order?' Harry said, very quietly. My ears perked up.

'He's useful,' Sirius muttered. 'Knows all the crooks-well, he would, seeing as he's one himself. But he's also very loyal to Dumbledore, who helped him out of a tight spot once. It pays to have someone like Dung around, he hears things we don't. But Molly thinks inviting him to stay for dinner is going too far. She hasn't forgiven him for slipping off duty when he was supposed to be tailing you.' I knew people had been keeping watch over Harry, but I was shocked they would let this Mundungus he trusted.

Three helpings of rhubarb crumble and custard later and the waistband on my jeans was feeling tight. there was a lull in the general conversation. Mr. Weasley was leaning back in his chair, looking replete and relaxed, Tonks was yawning widely, her nose now back to normal, and Ginny, who had lured Crookshanks out from under the dresser, was sitting cross-legged on the floor, rolling Butterbeer corks for him to chase.

'Nearly time for bed, I think,' said Mrs. Weasley with a yawn.

'Not just yet, Molly,' said Sirius, pushing away his empty plate and turning to look at Harry. 'You know, I'm surprised at you. I thought the first thing you'd do when you got here would be to start asking questions about Voldemort.'

The atmosphere in the room changed with the rapidity I associated with the arrival of dementors. Where seconds before it had been sleepily relaxed, it was now alert, even tense. A frisson had gone around the table at the mention of Voldemort's name. Lupin, who had been about to take a sip of wine, lowered his goblet slowly, looking wary.

'I did!' said Harry indignantly. 'I asked Ron and Hermione but they said we're not allowed in the Order, so-'

'And they're quite right,' said Mrs. Weasley. 'You're too young.' I was confused, Papa was never stingy with information with me and Fleur, if we asked, he answered.

'Since when did someone have to be in the Order of the Phoenix to ask questions?' asked Sirius. 'Harry's been trapped in that Muggle house for a month. He's got the right to know what's been happen-'

'Hang on!' interrupted George loudly.

'How come Harry gets his questions answered?' said Fred angrily.

'We've been trying to get stuff out of you for a month and you haven't told us a single stinking thing!' said George.

'"You're too young, you're not in the Order,"' said Fred, in a high-pitched voice that sounded uncannily like his mother's. 'Harry's not even of age!'

'It's not my fault you haven't been told what the Order's doing,' said Sirius calmly, 'that's your parents' decision. Harry, on the other hand-'

'It's not down to you to decide what's good for Harry!' said Mrs. Weasley sharply. The expression on her normally kind face looked dangerous. 'You haven't forgotten what Dumbledore said, I suppose?'

'Which bit?' Sirius asked politely, but with the air of a man readying himself for a fight.

'The bit about not telling Harry more than he needs to know,' said Mrs. Weasley, placing a heavy emphasis on the last three words.

Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George's heads swivelled from Sirius to Mrs. Weasley as though they were following a tennis rally. Ginny was kneeling amid a pile of abandoned Butterbeer corks, watching the conversation with her mouth slightly open. Lupin's eyes were fixed on Sirius.

'I don't intend to tell him more than he needs to know, Molly,' said Sirius. 'But as he was the one who saw Voldemort come back' (again, there was a collective shudder around the table at the name), 'he has more right than most to-'

'He's not a member of the Order of the Phoenix!' said Mrs. Weasley. 'He's only fifteen and- '

'-and he's dealt with as much as most in the Order,' said Sirius, 'and more than some-'

'No one's denying what he's done!' said Mrs. Weasley, her voice rising, her fists trembling on the arms of her chair. 'But he's still-'

'He's not a child!' said Sirius impatiently.

'He's not an adult either!' said Mrs. Weasley, the colour rising in her cheeks. 'He's not James, Sirius!'

'I'm perfectly clear who he is, thanks, Molly,' said Sirius coldly.

'I'm not sure you are!' said Mrs. Weasley. 'Sometimes, the way you talk about him, it's as though you think you've got your best friend back!'

'What's wrong with that?' said Harry.

'What's wrong, Harry, is that you are not your father, however much you might look like him!' said Mrs. Weasley, her eyes still boring into Sirius. 'You are still at school and adults responsible for you should not forget it!'

'Meaning I'm an irresponsible godfather?' demanded Sirius, his voice rising.

'Meaning you have been known to act rashly, Sirius, which is why Dumbledore keeps reminding you to stay at home and-'

'We'll leave my instructions from Dumbledore out of this, if you please!' said Sirius loudly.

'Arthur!' said Mrs. Weasley rounding on her husband. 'Arthur, back me up!'

Mr. Weasley did not speak at once. He took off his glasses and cleaned them slowly on his robes, not looking at his wife. Only when he had replaced them carefully on his nose did he reply.

'Dumbledore knows the position has changed, Molly. He accepts that Harry will have to be filled in, to a certain extent, now that he is staying at headquarters-'

'Yes, but there's a difference between that and inviting him to ask whatever he likes!'

'Personally,' said Lupin quietly, looking away from Sirius at last, as Mrs. Weasley turned quickly to him, hopeful that finally she was about to get an ally, 'I think it better that Harry gets the facts-not all the facts, Molly, but the general picture-from us, rather than a garbled version from ... others.'

His expression was mild, but Harry felt sure Lupin, at least, knew that some Extendable Ears had survived Mrs. Weasley's purge.

'Well,' said Mrs Weasley, breathing deeply and looking around the table for support that did not come, 'well ... I can see I'm going to be overruled. I'll just say this: Dumbledore must have had his reasons for not wanting Harry to know too much, and speaking as someone who has Harry's best interests at heart-'

'He's not your son,' said Sirius quietly.

'He's as good as,' said Mrs. Weasley fiercely. 'Who else has he got?'

'He's got me!'

'Yes,' said Mrs Weasley, her lip curling, 'the thing is, it's been rather difficult for you to look after him while you've been locked up in Azkaban, hasn't it?'

Sirius started to rise from his chair.

'Molly, you're not the only person at this table who cares about Harry,' said Lupin sharply. 'Sirius, sit down.'

Mrs. Weasleys lower lip was trembling. Sirius sank slowly back into his chair, his face white.

'I think Harry ought to be allowed a say in this,' Lupin continued, 'he's old enough to decide for himself.'

'I want to know what's been going on,' Harry said at once.

'Very well,' said Mrs. Weasley, her voice cracking. 'Ginny-Ron-Hermione-Fred-George-I want, you out of this kitchen, now.'

There was instant uproar.

'We're of age!' Fred and George bellowed together.

'If Harry's allowed, why can't I?' shouted Ron.

'Mum, I want to hear!' wailed Ginny.

'NO!' shouted Mrs. Weasley, standing up, her eyes overbright. 'I absolutely forbid-'

'Molly you can't stop Fred and George,' said Mr. Weasley wearily. 'They are of age-'

'They're still at school-'

'But they're legally adults now,' said Mr. Weasley, in the same tired voice.

Mrs. Weasley was now scarlet in the face.

'I-oh, all right then, Fred and George can stay, but Ron-'

'Harry'll tell me and Hermione everything you say anyway!' said Ron hotly. 'Won't-won't you?' he added uncertainly, meeting Harry's eyes.

For a split second, Harry considered telling Ron that he wouldn't tell him a single word, that he could try a taste of being kept in the dark and see how he liked it. But the nasty impulse vanished as they looked at each other.

'Course I will,' Harry said.

Ron and Hermione beamed.

'Fine!' shouted Mrs. Weasley. 'Fine! Ginny-BED!' I didn't say a word. They had forgotten me, sitting silently at the end of the table. I had been so quiet all dinner that nobody remembered that I was there. Nobody told me to leave. The only person to notice me all dinner had been the twins and Mundungus. And when Fred saw I was still there, but he just winked. I was surprised Ginny hadn't reminded her mum of me, but I figured in return I would have to fill heron on absolutly everything.

Ginny did not go quietly. They could hear her raging and storming at her mother all the way up the stairs, and when she reached the hall Mrs. Blacks ear-splitting shrieks were added to the din. Lupin hurried off to the portrait to restore calm. It was only after he had returned, closing the kitchen door behind him and taking his seat at the table again, that Sirius spoke.

'OK, Harry ... what do you want to know?'

Harry took a deep breath and asked the question that had obsessed him for the last month.

'Where's Voldemort?' he said, ignoring the renewed shudders and winces at the name. 'What's he doing? I've been trying to watch the Muggle news, and there hasn't been anything that looks like him yet, no funny deaths or anything-'

'That's because there haven't been any funny deaths yet,' said Sirius, 'not as far as we know, anyway... And we know quite a lot.'

'More than he thinks we do, anyway,' said Lupin.

'How come he's stopped killing people?' Harry asked. I knew Voldemort had murdered more than once in the last year alone.

'Because he doesn't want to draw attention to himself,' said Sirius. 'It would be dangerous for him. His comeback didn't come off quite the way he wanted it to, you see. He messed it up.'

'Or rather, you messed it up for him,' said Lupin, with a satisfied smile.

'How?' Harry asked, i was perplexed as well.

'You weren't supposed to survive!' said Sirius. 'Nobody apart from his Death Eaters was supposed to know he'd come back. But you survived to bear witness.'

'And the very last person he wanted alerted to his return the moment he got back was Dumbledore,' said Lupin. 'And you made sure Dumbledore knew at once.'

'How has that helped?' Harry asked.

'Are you kidding?' said Bill incredulously. 'Dumbledore was the only one You-Know-Who was ever scared of!'

'Thanks to you, Dumbledore was able to recall the Order of the Phoenix about an hour after Voldemort returned,' said Sirius.

'So, what's the Order been doing?' said Harry, looking around at them all.

'Working as hard as we can to make sure Voldemort can't carry out his plans,' said Sirius.

'How d'you know what his plans are?' Harry asked quickly.

'Dumbledore's got a shrewd idea,' said Lupin, 'and Dumbledore's shrewd ideas normally turn out to be accurate.'

'So what does Dumbledore reckon he's planning?'

'Well, firstly, he wants to build up his army again,' said Sirius. 'In the old days he had huge numbers at his command: witches and wizards he'd bullied or bewitched into following him, his faithful Death Eaters, a great variety of Dark creatures. You heard him planning to recruit the giants; well, they'll be just one of the groups he's after. He's certainly not going to try and take on the Ministry of Magic with only a dozen Death Eaters.'

'So you're trying to stop him getting more followers?'

'We're doing our best,' said Lupin.

'How?'

'Well, the main thing is to try and convince as many people as possible that You-Know-Who really has returned, to put them on their guard,' said Bill. 'It's proving tricky, though.'

'Why?'

'Because of the Ministry's attitude,' said Tonks. 'You saw Cornelius Fudge after You-Know-Who came back, Harry. Well, he hasn't shifted his position at all. He's absolutely refusing to believe it's happened.'

'But why?' said Harry desperately. 'Why's he being so stupid? If Dumbledore-'

'Ah, well, you've put your finger on the problem,' said Mr. Weasley with a wry smile. 'Dumbledore.'

'Fudge is frightened of him, you see,' said Tonks sadly.

'Frightened of Dumbledore?' said Harry incredulously.

'Frightened of what he's up to,' said Mr. Weasley. 'Fudge thinks Dumbledore's plotting to overthrow him. He thinks Dumbledore wants to be Minister for Magic.'

'But Dumbledore doesn't want-'

'Of course he doesn't,' said Mr. Weasley. 'He's never wanted the Minister's job, even though a lot of people wanted him to take it when Millicent Bagnold retired. Fudge came to power instead, but he's never quite forgotten how much popular support Dumbledore had, even though Dumbledore never applied for the job.'

'Deep down, Fudge knows Dumbledore's much cleverer than he is, a much more powerful wizard, and in the early days of his Ministry he was forever asking Dumbledore for help and advice,' said Lupin. 'But it seems he's become fond of power, and much more confident. He loves being Minister for Magic and he's managed to convince himself that he's the clever one and Dumbledore's simply stirring up trouble for the sake of it.'

'How can he think that?' said Harry angrily. 'How can he think Dumbledore would just make it all up-that I'd make it all up?'

'Because accepting that Voldermort's back would mean trouble like the Ministry hasn't had to cope with for nearly fourteen years,' said Sirius bitterly. 'Fudge just can't bring himself to face it. It's so much more comfortable to convince himself Dumbledore's lying to destabilise him.'

'You see the problem,' said Lupin. 'While the Ministry insists there is nothing to fear from Voldemort it's hard to convince people he's back, especially as they really don't want to believe it in the first place. What's more, the Ministry's leaning heavily on the Daily Prophet not to report any of what they're calling Dumbledore's rumour-mongering, so most of the wizarding community are completely unaware anything's happened, and that makes them easy targets for the Death Eaters if they're using the Imperius Curse.'

'But you're telling people, aren't you?' said Harry, looking around at Mr. Weasley, Sirius, Bill, Mundungus, Lupin and Tonks. 'You're letting people know he's back?'

They all smiled humourlessly.

'Well, as everyone thinks I'm a mad mass-murderer and the Ministry's put a ten thousand Galleon price on my head, I can hardly stroll up the street and start handing out leaflets, can I?' said Sirius restlessly.

'And I'm not a very popular dinner guest with most of the community,' said Lupin. 'It's an occupational hazard of being a werewolf.'

'Tonks and Arthur would lose their jobs at the Ministry if they started shooting their mouths off,' said Sirius, 'and it's very important for us to have spies inside the Ministry, because you can bet Voldemort will have them.'

'We've managed to convince a couple of people, though,' said Mr. Weasley. Tonks here, for one-she's too young to have been in the Order of the Phoenix last time, and having Aurors on our side is a huge advantage- Kingsley Shacklebolt's been a real asset, too; he's in charge of the hunt for Sirius, so he's been feeding the Ministry information that Sirius is in Tibet.'

'But if none of you are putting the news out that Voldemort's back-' Harry began.

'Who said none of us are putting the news out?' said Sirius. 'Why d'you think Dumbledore's in such trouble?'

'What d'you mean?' Harry asked.

'They're trying to discredit him,' said Lupin. 'Didn't you see the Daily Prophet last week? They reported that he'd been voted out of the Chairmanship of the International Confederation of Wizards because he's getting old and losing his grip, but it's not true; he was voted out by Ministry wizards after he made a speech announcing Voldemort's return. They've demoted him from Chief Warlock on the Wizengamot-that's the Wizard High Court-and they're talking about taking away his Order of Merlin, First Class, too.'

'But Dumbledore says he doesn't care what they do as long as they don't take him off the Chocolate Frog Cards,' said Bill, grinning.

'It's no laughing matter,' said Mr. Weasley sharply. 'If he carries on defying the Ministry like this he could end up in Azkaban, and the last thing we want is to have Dumbledore locked up. While You-Know-Who knows Dumbledore's out there and wise to what he's up to he's going to go cautiously. If Dumbledore's out of the way-well, You-Know-Who will have a clear field.'

'But if Voldemort's trying to recruit more Death Eaters it's bound to get out that he's come back, isn't it?' asked Harry desperately.

'Voldemort doesn't march up to people's houses and bang on their front doors, Harry,' said Sirius. 'He tricks, jinxes and blackmails them. He's well-practised at operating in secret. In any case, gathering followers is only one thing he's interested in. He's got other plans too, plans he can put into operation very quietly indeed, and he's concentrating on those for the moment.'

'What's he after apart from followers?' Harry asked swiftly. I thought I saw Sirius and Lupin exchange the most fleeting of looks before Sirius answered, 'Stuff he can only get by stealth.'

When Harry continued to look puzzled, Sirius said, 'Like a weapon. Something he didn't have last time.'

'When he was powerful before?'

'Yes.'

'Like what kind of weapon?' said Harry. 'Something worse than the Avada Kedavra-?'

'That's enough!'

Mrs. Weasley spoke from the shadows beside the door. Harry hadn't noticed her return from taking Ginny upstairs. Her arms were crossed and she looked furious.

'I want you in bed, now. All of you,' she added, looking around at Fred, George, Ron and Hermione.

'You can't boss us-' Fred began.

'Watch me,' snarled Mrs. Weasley. She was trembling slightly as she looked at Sirius. 'You've given Harry plenty of information. Any more and you might just as well induct him into the Order straightaway.'

'Why not?' said Harry quickly. 'I'll join, I want to join, I want to fight.'

'No.'

It was not Mrs Weasley who spoke this time, but Lupin.

'The Order is comprised only of overage wizards,' he said. 'Wizards who have left school,' he added, as Fred and George opened their mouths. 'There are dangers involved of which you can have no idea, any of you... I think Molly's right, Sirius. We've said enough.'

Sirius half-shrugged but did not argue. Mrs. Weasley beckoned imperiously to her sons and Herrnione. One by one they stood up and Harry, recognising defeat, followed suit.

they were out in the hallway before I was remembered. It was a sudden thing, but luckily It wasn't Mrs. Weasley who remembered first. "Gabrielle" said Mr. Weasley quietly. "We totally forgot..." he put his head in his hands "Oh Molly's going to kill me"  
"I'm sorry" I said quickly. I didn't consider I could be causing conflict.  
"Haha, not bad kid, sneaky." Sirius smiled. I liked that man, he was funny, kinda reminded me of an older Fred or George.  
"Don't encourage it, Molly's gonna die" Tonk's sighed, putting her head in her hands. "How did we forget Gabrielle, we were all introduced to her at the beginning of dinner!" she exclaimed. "Brie, nothing you heard in this room can leave this room, okay?" she checked. I nodded. I was going to tell Ginny of course, but they didn't need to know that.  
"Gabrieeeeelllllllleeee" a shriek came from upstairs, Mrs. Weasley had discovered I was missing. I quickly ran up the stairs, time to deal with Mrs. Weasley and tell my new friend Ginny absolutely everything.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Clean Palette  
Cleaning cleaning cleaning. That is all we did for my first week at Grimauld Place. We cleaned Doxy's out of the curtains, we cleaned stains out of the carpets. We cleaned dust off of absolutely everything. I had never cleaned before in my life. We had maids and everything at a mansion. I found though, that I actually enjoyed it. It was kinda distracting, good for numbing racing thoughts. It was relaxing.  
Of course it was also kind of annoying, because when I spilled paint all over the floor of my room, I had to clean it myself. luckily, My painting hadn't been spilled on. The painting of Hermione and Ginny was coming along wonderfully. I was using brightened color and thick impastos to catch the vibrancy of the hair. I spun Hermione's curls wildly around the soft pale lines of her face. Her nose and brown eyes were soft and kind, but her mouth was tilted a bit open, like she was about to start talking, which she always seemed to be doing.  
Ginny was more brightness, she was made of the vibrant colors that swirled in my palette. Her freckles brought light to her face and her good-natured eyes had twinkles of light. Her red hair fell into her eyes and her laugh lines pinched as she blew the hair from her face, a habit she had. My white teeshirt was covered in paint, but it actually looked cute that way, so I wasn't bothered to ask for a stain removing spell from Mrs. Weasley, besides, she had enough on her plate.  
So the week past, mornings and afternoons spent cleaning, nights spent painting Ginny and Hermione, who were being amazingly good sports about it. They never complained about sitting and modeling for me. It was great to get to know them, they were both smart and funny and for once there was people to be kind to me. Sometimes the boys would come in to talk, and we all seemed to be getting along really well.  
"Have you guys gotten a look at Gabi's painting yet?" Harry asked curiously to the two girls, looking over my shoulder at the easel. My new British friends had taken to calling me Gabi, or Gabbers in Fred's case, God knows where he got that one. I didn't mind, though I was so used to Brie, I kinda liked Gabi.  
"Nah, we haven't" Hermione said curiously, "why?"  
"It's bloody amazing, that's why!" Ron chimed in, I laughed. Fre and George walked over.  
"Woah" Fred whistled, "Exact likeness to you two, and it's the coolest style I've ever seen."  
"Will you do one of me?" Ron asked "Of me and Harry?" I smiled at their interest.  
"Course I will!" I laughed, "Trust me this is far more fun for me than it seems. Ohhh I bet I can do so much with the Gryffindore colors, I know how you two love quidditch!" I noticed everyone giggling at me as I looked around for my sketch pad.  
"One painting at a time" Ginny soothed, I nodded, refocusing, and went back to my paint-covered palette. It was so coated in different colors I couldn't rememeber top when it had been white. It was my favorite one, so it had the most stains. I wonder what it would be like to have a clean palette, but I don't think I'll ever want to find out.

"You will be fine" I said confidently as we all hugged Harry goodbye. He was off to his trial and we were all worried for him. He looked so scared himself.  
"I'll see you guys this evening" he said, trying to smile. I hated all that had happened to the confident sweet boy who had pulled me from the lake. He must be so afraid.  
"I wanna come!" I blurted. Everyone just stared. "I mean, I really wanna see the ministry, and my father knows a lot of high-ranking ministry officials. I might be able to put in a good vote of support, even with Fudge. The man's a joke, but I know him well. He was over for dinner all the time when I was younger. Also I'd be the only person who wouldn't seem out of place but could still give Harry a support system..." I knew I was doing the babbling thing again. But I needed this, I could help. Mr. Weasley was assessing me.  
"You think you could speak with Fudge?" he asked, "Without being conspicuous?" I nodded quickly. "Well if Harry's okay with it..." he turned to the boy.  
"Sure, it'd be nice to have Gabi alone" Harry agreed, "And as much as I wish I could have all you guys, Gabrielle is the only one that makes sense" he said reasonably to Ginny's unhappy expression. Hermione gave him one last hug and the it was time to leave, and I was going with them.  
I was excited as we walked down the streets towards the ministry, I loved visiting the French ministry. Of course everybody at that Ministry always treated me like a Princess and fawned over me. Here I figured it might be similar though, my Papa was known here as well. I laughed at Mr. Weasley's amazement at the metro system. We had done a lot of muggle traveling back home, so I was used to it. Though some of that muggle traveling was actually in expensive muggle cars with chauffeurs.  
"It's going to be fine" I said softly to Harry, reassuring him again. "They cannot legally justify expelling you" I said with confidence. He just looked out the window at the black underground tunnel. I never did understand why they put windows on these things when it's a underground and all you can see outside is black. I look down at the hem of my pink flowery dress. It's very not me, but it will endear Minister Fudge I think. My hair's even brushed! Hermione did it back in an intricate French braid. My dark lashes dusted my cheeks and made my blue eyes pop. I was perfect today, and I wished for dirt or paint or anything. I wanted my wildness back, I hated this suffocating perfection.  
"Thanks Gabi, but I don't know if you're right" he sighed. "Fudge wants me out of his hair, and this is a dream opportunity." his green eyes were angry as he looked through me instead of at me. I sighed. There was nothing I could say to comfort him. I glanced at Mr. Weasley, who was still looking around at the subway like Christmas had come early. "Mr. Weasley this is our stop" Harry mentioned.  
"Ah, of course of course. Yes we best be going" he bumbled. We headed out of the station and I ignored the heads doing double takes as I walked by. Men always had that reaction when I walked around.  
"How do you stand it?" Harry asked as a man whistled at me. "You don't even notice"  
"It just gets natural after a while, but yeah it's annoying. Why do you zink I prefer to be covered in paint?" I joked, though inside I meant it. Harry didn't laugh, he just put a brotherly hand on my arm, the way CJ did, and looked knowingly into my blue eyes. Like he understood. I looked up at the sky, but I didn't let it distract me today.  
"Here we are!" said Mr. Weasley from a few feet ahead of us. "I've never been thought the visitors entrance before!" he exclaimed. It looked just like the one in France, so it wasn't shocking to me. I loved Mr. Weasley for his excitement over everything, it certainly could lighten any day.  
We got in and I helped enter in the proper information to get us in. As soon as the lift went down and the door opened I skipped out, loving the look of the main lobby. I loved main lobbies of any place if they were full up of people. I mean just look around at a crowd some day, so many different expressions and sizes and colors. It's like an artists dream. Why do you think Renoir painted so many parties? I love Renoir, but nothing on earth can compare to my love for Van Gogh. Van Gogh is my inspiration and my idol. I cannot even express my adoration for his colors and lines. Van Gogh didn't paint crowds, but boy was that man an expert at painting the sky.  
"This way" Mr. Weasley led. We followed behind quickly and piled into the elevator. A man who I had been recently introduced to, Kingsley Shacklebolt, tapped Mr. Weasly on the shoulder and said something I couldn't hear that caused Mr. Weasleys entire expression to change. "Gabi, we're going to need your help thank Merlin you came" he said sounding stressed. "The time of Harry's trial got changed. You need to keep Fudge talking until we can insure Dumbledore heard about the change." he informed me. I smiled, I felt like a spy being assigned a secret mission. Oh god, I'm such a kid sometimes, imagining I'm a spy? Am I really 14?  
"Okay, where can I find him?" I asked. But my question was immediately answered by the appearance of Fudge standing with some blonde man at the end of a hallway talking quickly. "never mind, you guys go figure stuff out" I whispered to Harry. Then I turned away from him and walked down the hallway. I turned up my French accent, not wanting to sound anything but sweet little French girl.  
"Mizzter Fuudge!" I exclaimed walking towards him arms held out. He turned startled, an unhappy expression on his face. It was quickly replaced with a huge and only slightly false smile as he identified me.  
"Why is that Gabrielle Delacour I see?" he exclaimed. "Brie dearie what are you doing here?" he asked, hugging me.  
"I 'ave been visiteeng some of Papa's good friends. Zee Wesalees. Zey are so kind, Papa adores zee familee." throwing Papa's love of the Weasley's out there would help a lot. Papa was not known as just a minister of France, he was viewed as the most influential and beloved minister in all countries. He gleaned respect easily.  
"Does he?" Fudge looked vaguely uncomfortable.  
"Oui! I begged to come in to zee ministry today I had to see you!" I smiled. "Also today iz zee trial for 'Arry Potter. 'ee saved my life last year and I zought I should show 'im support." I said I saw the flash of guilt go across Fudge's face. Okay, enough guilt or he'd start trying to get away, now it was time to charm him. "Now Mizzter Fudge tell me all about zee ministry 'ere!" I asked. I hadn't payed any attention to the man he had been talking to, but he suddenly cleared his throat.  
"Oh, right, Lucius!" Fudge said startled. "this is Gabrielle Delacour. She's Alain Delacour's youngest child." he introduced. I shook hands with the man, but with reserve. Something in his eyes was cruel and untrustworthy. I didn't like the look of him, his face shown a cruelty that he had clearly masked. I wanted to say something to him right there, to ask him what was wrong with him, but I knew I couldn't.  
"Now Meezter Fudge, about zee ministry" I said, bringing his attention back to me. I managed to keep him talking for about 15 minutes. It was a little bit odd for me, to view Fudge as an enemy to trick. I had always liked the man in all honesty. He was a coward and a suck-up yeah, but he was kind when he wanted to be. He was funny and a nice friend of the family, very devoted to making my father happy by being kind to me.  
"Oh I must being going Gabrielle, the trial should have started already!" he mused looking at his watch. "We can catch up further after, you can tell me more about transferring to Hogwarts" he smiled.  
"Alrigh sir, but could you point me to Madame Bones before zee trial, I want to see 'er quickly" I asked. He nodded curtly.  
"Of course Brie, I only ask you leave the chamber before the actual trial, it's no place for sweet little girls" he said ruffling my hair. I nodded and smiled. "Ah, there's Madame bones now! Why don't you go catch her." he suggested. I nodded and ran off towards the regal looking witch walking from the opposite direction. Also a family friend, but she was actually a respectable and reasonable person.  
"madame bones!" I said quickly as I reached her. "how are you?"  
"Brie Delacour?" she exclaimed embracing me. "What are you doing here?" she asked.  
"We can catch up after" I said warmly, "but for now, all I ask is that you please give 'Arry a fair shake during this trial. He is not in zee wrong. Please try to give him a chance!" I begged. She looked at me puzzled.  
"Of course, I was hardly in doubt of his innocence anyhow, but this reassures me. Don't worry Gabrielle, I'll see what I can do" she said. Her kind, regal, face smiling down at me. I sighed with relief. "See you after the trial" she said before heading off down the hall, her robes swishing as she moved. I wasn't sure what to do with myself now. Mr. Weasley had just ushered Harry into the court room. Now he was heading my way.  
"I need to get back to my office Gabi, do you want to come with? Or do you think you'd rather wander around for a bit. I'm sure you'll be plenty safe, nobody here would dare harm a Delacour." he laughed. I smiled back.  
"I'll be fine, I'll wander around for a bit, see of I can get a good mental image of the lobby. I might paint it later" I told him. He nodded and patted my shoulder before rushing off. I looked around, the now empty hallway seemed lonely and dark. I walked back towards the lift slowly, this must be the creepiest part of the ministry. I thought about the area we had seen on our way down. Judging by the look Mr. Weasley had given it and the people in blue suits bustling about that could only be one place. It must be the English department of mysteries, that was one place Papa had warned me to never wander near. It was secret for a reason he said. Harry had given it a look as well, though I doubted he'd know what it was. I sighed as the lift pulled to a stop only one floor after I got in. The doors opened to reveal the man from before. The Lucius person.  
"Veela are you?" he asked once he had entered and the lift began moving. I glared at the cruel-eyed man.  
"Quarter Veela" I told him icily. He looked at me with loathing eyes.  
"Friends with Harry Potter and those Weasley's and has a Veela daughter. Remind me why France likes your father so much?" he taunted cruelly. I didn't understand how this man who had met me only moments ago could be showing such hate to me.  
"He's a wonderful man, far better than you" I spit out at him. I would have said more but the lift made a noise like a bell and the doors slid open. Revealing a harried looking old witch trying to ignore the bewitched tennis racket eating her hair.  
"Give me a hand?" she requested, offering me her paperwork to hold so she could get a hold on the racket. I took the folders and watched her untangle the beast racket from her grey locks. I would have laughed if not for my anger at this Lucius man and the fact that I felt it would be rude to laugh at the woman's pain. Fleur never would laugh at that. "Stupid cursed Rackets, whole bleeding tennis court full of them" she complained.  
She grabbed her papers back as she finally managed to stun the racket. "why are you here today Malfoy?" she questioned, I got the sense from her tone that she didn't like him either. "This your daughter?" She glanced at me.  
He laughed coldly. "Not the slightest chance. She's Veela" he said with utmost disgust. I glared at him, but luckily it was his stop and the doors opened with a ding. He stepped out and walked hastily away. I slumped back against the doors as they closed. The woman looked at me with sympathy.  
"Worst man you'll ever meet kiddo, he's a blood purist and has a nasty involvement with the dark arts. Don't feel bad about anything he says to you, he's a fool." she smile at me.  
"Zank you" I smiled. Gosh, after all this time practicing an English accent you'd think I'd sound less blatantly French. She smiled at me again.  
"Why are you here by yourself?" she asked.  
"I'm 'ere to support my friend 'arry Potter"  
"The boy who lived? I never did beleive all this crap the prophet is spewing about him" she shook her head. "Prophets just looking for a story to appease the masses I suppose" she sighed and shook her head once again.  
"Yeah, he's very nice, I zink zee prophet is clueless" I joked. She laughed slightly, but it was an exhausted kind of laugh. "I am Gabrielle Delacour by zee way" I informed her.  
"Alain Delacour's kid? Love your father, he's said to have brought about the golden age of magical France. I'm Jane Gorkirk" she stick out her hand to shake. "department of Cursed objects and misdirected spells" I shook her hand. "This racket should really go to misuse of muggle artifacts, but Arthur Weasley is pretty swamped as it is" she sighed as the racket began to shake around again. Luckily for me the door dinged at my stop before the racket had a chance to lunge for my hair. I waved goodbye quickly and exited. I headed straight for the lobby area.  
I found a seat on the corner of the Statue of Magical Brethren and got situated. I watched the crowds go by, taking in the movement of people, the way they carried their limbs. The way their feet positioned, the way their robes swished together and apart. I captured it in one big picture in my head that I was desperate to paint. It was beautiful. If you really take the time to look, I think you'll find most things are beautiful.  
"Gabi?" a voice behind me called. i startled and almost fell into the fountain. Harry, who was now behind me, laughed and opened his arms for a hug. "Cleared of all charges!" he said joyfully. I hugged him and laughed.  
"Told you it'd be okay!" I yelled, turning to embrace Mr. Weasley as well. We all shared a moment of complete happiness as we laughed and hugged. "we better get home and tell the others before they have coronaries". I laughed.

'I knew it!' yelled Ron, punching the air. 'You always get away with stuff!'

'They were bound to clear you,' said Hermione, who had looked positively faint with anxiety when Harry and I had entered the kitchen and was now holding a shaking hand over her eyes, 'there was no case against you, none at all.'

'Everyone seems quite relieved, though, considering you all knew I'd get off,' said Harry, smiling.

Mrs. Weasley was wiping her face on her apron, and Fred, George, and Ginny were doing a kind of war dance to a chant that went: 'He got off, he got off, he got off-'

'That's enough! Settle down!' shouted Mr. Weasley, though he too was smiling. 'Listen, Sirius, Lucius Malfoy was at the Ministry-'

'What?' said Sirius sharply.

'He got off, he got off, he got off-'

'Be quiet, you three! Yes, we saw him talking to Fudge on Level Nine, then they went up to Fudge's office together. Dumbledore ought to know.'

'Absolutely,' said Sirius. 'We'll tell him, don't worry.'

'Well, I'd better get going, there's a vomiting toilet waiting for me in Bethnal Green. Molly, I'll be late, I'm covering for Tonks, but Kingsley might be dropping in for dinner-'

'He got off, he got off, he got off-'

'That's enough-Fred-George-Ginny!' said Mrs. Weasley, as Mr. Weasley left the kitchen. 'Harry, dear, come and sit down, have some lunch, you hardly ate breakfast...'. The gloomy house seemed warmer and more welcoming all of a sudden; even Kreacher looked less ugly as he poked his snoutlike nose into the kitchen to investigate the source of all the noise.

' 'Course, once Dumbledore turned up on your side, there was no way they were going to convict you,' said Ron happily, now dishing great mounds of mashed potato on to everyone's plates.

'Yeah, he swung it for me,' said Harry. Then he clapped his hand to his forehead quickly. We all looked at him with concern.

'What's up?' said Hermione, looking alarmed.

'Scar,' Harry mumbled. 'But it's nothing... It happens all the time now...' his scar hurt? I didn't know that. I wondered what it meant.

None of the others had noticed a thing; all of them were now helping themselves to food while gloating over Harry's narrow escape; Fred, George, and Ginny were still singing. Hermione looked rather anxious, but before she could say anything, Ron had said happily, 'I bet Dumbledore turns up this evening, to celebrate with us, you know.'

'I don't think he'll be able to, Ron,' said Mrs. Weasley, setting a huge plate of roast chicken down in front of Harry. 'He's really very busy at the moment.'

'HE GOT OFF, HE GOT OFF. HE GOT OFF-'

'SHUT UP!' roared Mrs. Weasley. We all laughed.  
Over the next few days we all spent our time in a blissfully happy mood. Harry did feel a bit guilty about Sirius's reaction to him getting off. It was reasonable I thought, because Sirius clearly didn't want to be alone here and he loved his God-son very much. Of course he wanted to be together. I felt bad for the lonely old Animagus. I spent a few hours talking to him one day, learning all about his past. It was interesting to hear his stories of werewolf friends and flying motorcycles.  
Now however, I sat with Hermione, Harry, and Ron as they chatted and I painted. They had taken to me quite easily, they didn't mind including me in their private conversations. I think it's mostly because they knew I didn't interrupt, didn't tell secrets, and would help if I could. "Well I think you should write Dumbledore" Hermione was saying after she had noticed Harry grimacing and clutching us scar. I smiled a bit to myself at Hermione's sweet concern.

At this point, Mrs. Weasley entered the bedroom behind them.

'Still not finished?' she said, poking her head into the cupboard.

'I thought you might be here to tell us to have a break!' said Ron bitterly. 'D'you know how much mould we've got rid of since we arrived here?' I just laughed, I still didnt mind cleaning at all, it was not hard.

'You were so keen to help the Order,' said Mrs. Weasley, 'you can do your bit by making Headquarters fit to live in.'

'I feel like a house-elf,' grumbled Ron. Oh no, now Hermione would start up. I liked the idea and had joined her club, but considering the house elf here, Kreacher, was annoying as hell I was feeling like her rants were a bit over the top.

'Well, now you understand what dreadful lives they lead, perhaps you'll be a bit more active in S.P.E.W.!' said Hermione hopefully, as Mrs. Weasley left them to it. 'You know, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to show people exactly how horrible it is to clean all the time-we could do a sponsored scrub of Gryffindor common room, all proceeds to S.P.E.W., it would raise awareness as well as funds-'

'I'll sponsor you to shut up about spew,' Ron muttered irritably, but only so Harry and I could hear him.

The fact was that living at the Headquarters of the anti-Voldemort movement was not nearly as interesting or exciting as any of us would have expected before we'd experienced it. Though members of the Order of the Phoenix came and went regularly, sometimes staying for meals, sometimes only for a few minutes of whispered conversation, Mrs. Weasley made sure that we were kept well out of earshot (whether Extendable or normal, as Fred and George had showed us their invention) and nobody, not even Sirius, seemed to feel that we needed to know anything more than we had heard on the night of my arrival.

On the third to last day of the holidays I was helping Harry sweep up Hedwig's owl droppings from the top of the wardrobe when Ron entered their bedroom carrying a couple of envelopes.

'Booklists have arrived,' he said, throwing one of the envelopes up to Harry, who was standing on a chair. 'About time, I thought they'd forgotten, they usually come much earlier than this...' he threw one to me as well. "Mum says she'll take us all to Diagonal Alley tomorrow, seeing as you need a whole bunch of new stuff. Here's your very first Hogwarts letter Gabi!"

Harry swept the last of the droppings into a rubbish bag and threw the bag over Ron's head into the wastepaper basket in the corner, which swallowed it and belched loudly. I opened my letter and smiled a the list of books and materials. Papa had wired over lots of Galleons for me to use. I also couldn't wait to use my wand again. My wand was wonderful. Though I had been meant to get a Veela hair from my grandmere like Fleur had, I had found them disagreeable with me. Though I was clearly part Veela, I just didn't agree with those wands. Instead I had been chosen by a 10 inch Phoenix feather and Pear wood wand, slightly swishy. It was a wonderful light tan with a green tint to the base and a small curve.

'Only two new ones,' he said, reading the list, 'The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, by Miranda Goshawk, and Defensive Magical Theory, by Wilbert Slinkhard.'

Crack.

Fred and George Apparated right beside Harry. I was so used to them doing this by now that I didn't even fall off my chair.I loved the twins so much. They had already started to teach me the fine art of pranking. They were masters at it. I had let them test a prototype on me, and though it had made me puke all over, it was still hilarious. Skiving snack-boxes, how genius is that!

'We were just wondering who assigned the Slinkhard book,' said Fred conversationally.

'Because it means Dumbledore's found a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher,' said George.

'And about time too,' said Fred.

'What d'you mean?' Harry asked, jumping down beside them.

Well, we overheard Mum and Dad talking on the Extendable Ears a few weeks back,' Fred told Harry, 'and from what they were saying, Dumbledore was having real trouble finding anyone to do the job this year.'

'Not surprising, is it, when you look at what's happened to the last four?' said George.  
"what happened to the last four?" I asked nervously.

'One sacked, one dead, one's memory removed, and one locked in a trunk for nine months,' said Harry, counting them off on his fingers. 'Yeah, I see what you mean.'

'What's up with you, Ron?' asked Fred.

Ron did not answer. I looked round. Ron was standing very still with his mouth slightly open, gaping at his letter from Hogwarts.

'What's the matter?' said Fred impatiently, moving around Ron to look over his shoulder at the parchment.

Fred's mouth fell open, too.

'Prefect?' he said, staring incredulously at the letter. 'Prefect?'

George leapt forward, seized the envelope in Ron's other hand and turned it upside-down. I saw something scarlet and gold fall into George's palm.

'No way,' said George in a hushed voice.

'There's been a mistake,' said Fred, snatching the letter out of Ron's grasp and holding it up to the light as though checking for a watermark. 'No one in their right mind would make Ron a prefect.'

The twins' heads turned in unison and both of them stared at Harry.

'We thought you were a cert!' said Fred, in a tone that suggested Harry had tricked them in some way.

'We thought Dumbledore was bound to pick you!' said George indignantly.

'Winning the Triwizard and everything!' said Fred.

'I suppose all the mad stuff must've counted against him,' said George to Fred.

'Yeah,' said Fred slowly. 'Yeah, you've caused too much trouble, mate. Well, at least one of you's got their priorities right.'

He strode over to Harry and clapped him on the back while giving Ron a scathing look.

'Prefect ... ickle Ronnie the prefect...'

'Oh, Mum's going to be revolting,' groaned George, thrusting the prefect badge back at Ron as though it might contaminate him.

Ron, who still had not said a word, took the badge, stared at it for a moment, then held it out to Harry as though asking mutely for confirmation that it was genuine. Harry took it. A large 'P' was superimposed on the Gryffindor lion. He had seen a badge just like this on Percy's chest on his very first day at Hogwarts.

The door banged open. Hermione came tearing into the room, her cheeks flushed and her hair flying. There was an envelope in her hand.

'Did you-did you get-?'

She spotted the badge in Harry's hand and let out a shriek.

'I knew it!' she said excitedly, brandishing her letter. 'Me too, Harry, me too!'

'No,' said Harry quickly, pushing the badge back into Ron's hand. 'It's Ron, not me.'

'It-what?'

'Ron's prefect, not me,' Harry said.

'Ron?' said Hermione, her jaw dropping. 'But ... are you sure? I mean-'

She turned red as Ron looked round at her with a defiant expression on his lace.

'It's my name on the letter,' he said.

'I...' said Hermione, looking thoroughly bewildered. 'I ... well ... wow! Well done, Ron! That's really-'

'Unexpected,' said George, nodding.

'No,' said Hermione, blushing harder than ever, 'no it's not ... Ron's done loads of ... he's really...'

The door behind her opened a little wider and Mrs. Weasley backed into the room carrying a pile of freshly laundered robes.

'Ginny said the booklists had come at last,' she said, glancing around at all the envelopes as she made her way over to the bed and started sorting the robes into two piles. 'If you give them to me I'll take them over to Diagon Alley this afternoon and get your books while you're packing. Ron, I'll have to get you more pyjamas, these are at least six inches too short, I can't believe how fast you're growing ... what colour would you like?'

'Get him red and gold to match his badge,' said George, smirking.

'Match his what?' said Mrs. Weasley absently, rolling up a pair of maroon socks and placing them on Ron's pile.

'His badge,' said Fred, with the air of getting the worst over quickly. 'His lovely shiny new prefect's badge.'

Fred's words took a moment to penetrate Mrs. Weasley's preoccupation with pyjamas.

'His ... but ... Ron, you're not...?'

Ron held up his badge.

Mrs. Weasley let out a shriek just like Hermione's.

'I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!'

'What are Fred and I, next-door neighbours?' said George indignantly, as his mother pushed him aside and flung her arms around her youngest son. I was watching all this with great amusement and laughed at George's comment.

'Wait until your father hears! Ron, I'm so proud of you, what wonderful news, you could end up Head Boy just like Bill and Percy, it's the first step! Oh, what a thing to happen in the middle of all this worry, I'm just thrilled, oh, Ronnie-'

Fred and George were both making loud retching noises behind her back but Mrs. Weasley did not notice; arms tight around Ron's neck, she was kissing him all over his face, which had turned a brighter scarlet than his badge.

'Mum ... don't ... Mum, get a grip...' he muttered, trying to push her away.

She let go of him and said breathlessly, 'Well, what will it be? We gave Percy an owl, but you've already got one, of course.'

'W-what do you mean?' said Ron, looking as though he did not dare believe his ears.

'You've got to have a reward for this!' said Mrs. Weasley fondly. 'How about a nice new set of dress robes?'

'We've already bought him some,' said Fred sourly, who looked as though he sincerely regretted this generosity.

'Or a new cauldron, Charlie's old one's rusting through, or a new rat, you always liked Scabbers-'

'Mum,' said Ron hopefully, 'can I have a new broom?'

Mrs. Weasley's face fell slightly; broomsticks were expensive.

'Not a really good one!' Ron hastened to add. 'Just-just a new one for a change...'

Mrs. Weasley hesitated, then smiled.

'Of course you can... Well, I'd better get going if I've got a broom to buy too. I'll see you all later... Little Ronnie, a prefect! And don't forget to pack your trunks... A prefect... Oh, I'm all of a dither!'

She gave Ron yet another kiss on the cheek, sniffed loudly, and bustled from the room.

Fred and George exchanged looks.

'You don't mind if we don't kiss you, do you, Ron?' said Fred in a falsely anxious voice.

'We could curtsey, if you like,' said George.

'Oh, shut up,' said Ron, scowling at them.

'Or what?' said Fred, an evil grin spreading across his face. 'Going to put us in detention?'

'I'd love to see him try,' sniggered George.

'He could if you don't watch out!' said Hermione angrily.

Fred and George burst out laughing, and Ron muttered, 'Drop it, Hermione.'

'We're going to have to watch our step, George,' said Fred, pretending to tremble, 'with these two on our case...'

'Yeah, it looks like our law-breaking days are finally over,' said George, shaking his head.  
"so, may I ask, what the Hell is a prefect?" I butted in wryly. "And you're law breaking days better not be over, I'm just now getting to see it!" I giggled. Fred smiled at me and I felt a little leap in my heart. I looked away quickly, what was that?  
"Swearing now Gabbers?" Fred smiled, "Are we rubbing off on you?" I rolled my eyes.  
"A prefect is a student who has power to give detentions and to supervise the other students at Hogwarts." Hermione explained, "And you really shouldn't swear Gabi." she said haughtily. Fred winked at me.  
"I can tell she's gonna be trouble already, she'll be just like the twins" Ron groaned.  
"Excuse me brother, but you say that like it's a bad thing" Fred said pretending,y offended.

And with another loud crack, the twins Disapparated.

'Those two!' said Hermione furiously, staring up at the ceiling, through which they could now hear Fred and George roaring with laughter in the room upstairs. 'Don't pay any attention to them, Ron, they're only jealous!'

'I don't think they are,' said Ron doubtfully, also looking up at the ceiling. They've always said only prats become prefects... Still,' he added on a happier note, 'they've never had new brooms! I wish I could go with Mum and choose... She'll never be able to afford a Nimbus, but there's the new Cleansweep out, that'd be great... Yeah, I think I'll go and tell her I like the Cleansweep, just so she knows...'

He dashed from the room, leaving Harry and Hermione and I alone.

'Harry?' said Hermione tentatively.

'Well done, Hermione,' said Harry, so heartily it did not sound like his voice at all, and, still not looking at her, 'brilliant. Prefect. Great.' I watched them carefully, sensing Harry was very upset.

'Thanks,' said Hermione. 'Erm-Harry-could I borrow Hedwig so I can tell Mum and Dad? They'll be really pleased-I mean prefect is something they can understand.'

'Yeah, no problem,' said Harry, still in the horrible hearty voice that did not belong to him. 'Take her!'

He leaned over his trunk, laid the robes on the bottom of it and pretended to be rummaging for something while Hermione crossed to the wardrobe and called Hedwig down. A few moments passed; I heard the door close but remained bent double, listening; the only sounds I could hear were the blank picture on the wall sniggering again and the wastepaper basket in the corner coughing up the owl droppings. "I better go" I said, giving him a charming smile before wandering out of the room.  
The second I excited the room Mrs. Weasley swooped down on me. "Gabrielle dear, how would you like to go to Diagonal alley with me today? We won't have as much time later on." she suggested. I smiled with excitement.  
"Yes of course! I'm so excited to see it!" I crowed.  
"Wonderful dear" Mrs. Weasley said distractedly. "I suppose I'll take you side-along apparition then" she murmured. I followed her outside and she clutched my arm tightly. Then she apparated us. I had done it before, but I still very much disliked it. Rubbing my sides as we landed in the leaky cauldron I groaned. "This way dear" Mrs. Weasley said unperturbed. I followed her to the back, waving to some man named Tom, and watched her tap in some bricks. When the wall opened up I nearly gasped with joy.  
It was amazing, the shops lit up, magic everywhere, wizards and witches walking along. "Gabi I swear you get more excited over little things than anybody I know" Mrs. Weasley said affectionately. I giggled. "now let's see... Madame Malkins first I think?" she tapped her chin. "Then we'll get you books of course." I nodded again, still overwhelmed by the beautiful street.  
As Mrs. Weasley headed off towards the robe shop I found myself distracted. A little ally labeled Knockturn Ally. What was that way? I wandered over and peeked into the darkened area. "Hello" a creepy voice said. I spun around, why were people always creeping up behind me? It was a man, creepy looking, and a frighteningly cruel look in his eyes. "Aren't you pretty" he said softly. I turned on heel and ran back towards Mrs. Weasley, not wanting to be creeped on today.  
I caught up with Mrs. Weasley and we went into the little robe shop. A woman who I assumed was Madame Malkins came up to me looking concerned. "She needs entirely new robes? New Hogwarts robes? But she hasn't got a house yet!" she looked very distressed. I wandered away as she spoke quickly to Mrs. Weasly. I looked at the robes hanging in the shop. Black and plain, but with cute uniforms underneath. Okay, well this wasn't too bad.  
"Gabrielle?" Mrs. Weasley called. I walked back over. Madame Malkin started to take my measurements. I sighed as the tape measure confirmed my perfect sizes and looked at the ceiling when Madame Malkin clucked about how beautiful I was. I stopped paying attention about five minutes in, and didn't refocus until I heard Mrs. Weasley speak. "For someone who has such an appreciation for beauty, you sure don't like to be pretty yourself"

Mrs. Weasley and I returned from Diagon Alley around six o'clock, laden with books and carrying a long package wrapped in thick brown paper that Ron took from her with a moan of longing.

'Never mind unwrapping it now, people are arriving for dinner, I want you all downstairs,' she said, but the moment she was out of sight Ron ripped off the paper in a frenzy and examined every inch of his new broom, an ecstatic expression on his face.

Down in the basement Mrs. Weasley had hung a scarlet banner over the heavily laden dinner table, which read CONGRATULATIONS RON AND HERMIONE-NEW PREFECTS. She looked in a better mood than I had seen her all holiday.

'I thought we'd have a little party not a sit-down dinner,' she told Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Ginny, and I as we entered the room. 'Your father and Bill are on their way, Ron. I've sent them both owls and they're thrilled,' she added, beaming.

Fred rolled his eyes and winked at me. Goodness he was cute, wait what? I shook thoughts of Fred from my head.

Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, and Kingsley Shacklebolt were already there and Mad-Eye Moody stumped in shortly after.

'Oh, Alastor, I am glad you're here,' said Mrs. Weasley brightly, as Mad-Eye shrugged off his travelling cloak. 'We've been wanting to ask you for ages-could you have a look in the writing desk in the drawing room and tell us what's inside it? We haven't wanted to open it just in case it's something really nasty.'

'No problem, Molly...'

Moody's electric-blue eye swivelled upwards and stared fixedly through the ceiling of the kitchen.

'Drawing room...' he growled, as the pupil contracted. 'Desk in the corner? Yeah, I see it... Yeah, it's a boggart... Want me to go up and get rid of it, Molly?'

'No, no, I'll do it myself later,' beamed Mrs. Weasley, 'you have your drink. We're having a little bit of a celebration, actually...' She gestured at the scarlet banner. 'Fourth prefect in the family!' she said fondly, ruffling Ron's hair.

'Prefect, eh?' growled Moody, his normal eye on Ron and his magical eye swivelling around to gaze into the side of his head.

'Well, congratulations,' said Moody, still glaring at Ron with his normal eye, 'authority figures always attract trouble, but I suppose Dumbledore thinks you can withstand most major jinxes or he wouldn't have appointed you...'

Ron looked rather startled at this view of the matter but was saved the trouble of responding by the arrival of his father and eldest brother. Mrs. Weasley was in such a good mood she did not even complain that they had brought Mundungus with them; he was wearing a long overcoat that seemed oddly lumpy in unlikely places and declined the offer to remove it and put it with Moody's travelling cloak.

'Well, I think a toast is in order,' said Mr. Weasley, when everyone had a drink. He raised his goblet. 'To Ron and Hermione, the new Gryffindor prefects!'

Ron and Hermione beamed as everyone drank to them, and then applauded.

'I was never a prefect myself,' said Tonks brightly from behind Harry as everybody moved towards the table to help themselves to food. Her hair was tomato red and waist-length today; she looked like Ginny's older sister. 'My Head of House said I lacked certain necessary qualities.'

'Like what?' said Ginny, who was choosing a baked potato.

'Like the ability to behave myself,' said Tonks.

Ginny laughed; Hermione looked as though she did not know whether to smile or not and compromised by taking an extra large gulp of Butterbeer and choking on it.

'What about you, Sirius?' Ginny asked, thumping Hermione on the back.

Sirius, who was right beside Harry, let out his usual bark-like laugh.

'No one would have made me a prefect, I spent too much time in detention with James. Lupin was the good boy, he got the badge.'

'I think Dumbledore might have hoped I would be able to exercise some control over my best friends,' said Lupin. 'I need scarcely say that I failed dismally."

Ron was rhapsodising about his new broom to anybody who would listen.

'...nought to seventy in ten seconds, not bad, is it? When you think the Comet Two Ninety's only nought to sixty and that's with a decent tailwind according to Which Broomstick?'

Hermione was talking very earnestly to Lupin about her view of elf rights.

'I mean, it's the same kind of nonsense as werewolf segregation, isn't it? It all stems from this horrible thing wizards have of thinking they're superior to other creatures...'

Mrs. Weasley and Bill were having their usual argument about Bill's hair. I wondered why Fleur hadn't accompanied bill to the party.

'...getting really out of hand, and you're so good-looking, it would look much better shorter, wouldn't it, Harry?'

'Oh-I dunno-' said Harry, slightly alarmed at being asked his opinion; he slid away from them in the direction of Fred and George, who were huddled in a corner with Mundungus. I followed him, wanting a chance to talk to Fred and George a bit.

Mundungus stopped talking when he saw us, but Fred winked and beckoned Harry and I closer.

'It's OK,' he told Mundungus, 'we can trust Harry, he's our financial backer. And Gabbers here is a little Prankster in the making.'

'Look what Dung's got us,' said George, holding out his hand to Harry. It was full of what looked like shrivelled black pods. A faint rattling noise was coming from them, even though they were completely stationary.

'Venomous Tentacula seeds,' said George. 'We need them for the Skiving Snackboxes but they're a Class C Non-Tradeable Substance so we've been having a bit of trouble getting hold of them.'

'Ten Galleons the lot, then, Dung?' said Fred.

'Wiv all the trouble I went to to get 'em?' said Mundungus, his saggy, bloodshot eyes stretching even wider. 'I'm sorry, lads, but I'm not taking a Knut under twenty.'

'Dung likes his little joke,' Fred said to Harry.

'Yeah, his best one so far has been six Sickles for a bag of Knarl quills,' said George.

'Be careful,' Harry warned them quietly.

'What?' said Fred. 'Mum's busy cooing over Prefect Ron, we're okay.'

'But Moody could have his eye on you,' Harry pointed out.

Mundungus looked nervously over his shoulder.

'Good point, that,' he grunted. 'All right, lads, ten it is, if you'll take 'em quick.'

'Cheers, Harry!' said Fred delightedly, when Mundungus had emptied his pockets into the twins' outstretched hands and scuttled off towards the food. 'We'd better get these upstairs...'. Kingsley Shacklebolt's deep voice was audible even over the surrounding chatter.

'...why Dumbledore didn't make Potter a prefect?' said Kingsley.

'He'll have had his reasons,' replied Lupin.

'But it would've shown confidence in him. It's what I'd've done,' persisted Kingsley, ' 'specially with the Daily Prophet having a go at him every few days...'

Harry did not look round; I was guessing he had heard, but he did not want Lupin or Kingsley to know he had heard. Though not remotely hungry, I followed Mundungus back towards the table. I didn't want to intrude on Harry's quiet moment.

Mad-Eye Moody was sniffing at a chicken leg with what remained of his nose; evidently he could not detect any trace of poison, because he then tore a strip off it with his teeth. I wanted to paint it actually. The look of suspicion in his eyes. The wildness in his expression, the flecks of chicken as its flesh was torn away.

'...the handle's made of Spanish oak with anti-jinx varnish and in-built vibration control-' Ron was saying to Tonks.

Mrs. Weasley yawned widely.

'Well, I think I'll sort out that boggart before I turn in... Arthur, I don't want this lot up too late, all right? 'Night, Harry, dear.'  
I noticed Harry starting to head upstairs after his conversation with Moody. I decided I would try to talk to him, clearly there was something on his mind. I walked up the stairs behind him and was about to call out when suddenly he stopped short, a look of horror on his face. I soon saw why, Ron was lying dead and bloody on the floor. No, no this was impossible.

But wait a moment, it couldn't be- Ron was downstairs-

'Mrs. Weasley?' Harry croaked.

'R-r-riddikulus!' Mrs. Weasley sobbed, pointing her shaking wand at Ron's body.

Crack

Ron's body turned into Bill's, spread-eagled on his back, his eyes wide open and empty. Mrs Weasley sobbed harder than ever.

'R-riddikulus!' she sobbed again.

Crack.

Mr. Weasley's body replaced Bill's, his glasses askew, a trickle of blood running down his face.

'No!' Mrs. Weasley moaned. 'No ... riddikulus! Riddikulus! RIDDIKULUS!'

Crack. Dead twins. Crack. Dead Percy. Crack. Dead Harry...

'Mrs. Weasley, just get out of here!' shouted Harry, staring down at his own dead body on the floor. 'Let someone else-'

'What's going on?'

Lupin had come running into the room, closely followed by Sirius, with Moody stumping along behind them. Lupin looked from Mrs. Weasley to the dead Harry on the floor and seemed to understand in an instant. Pulling out his own wand, he said, very firmly and clearly, 'Riddikulus!'

Harry's body vanished. A silvery orb hung in the air over the spot where it had lain. Lupin waved his wand once more and the orb vanished in a puff of smoke.

'Oh-oh-oh!' gulped Mrs. Weasley, and she broke into a storm of crying, her face in her hands.

'Molly,' said Lupin bleakly, walking over to her. 'Molly, don't...'

Next second, she was sobbing her heart out on Lupin's shoulder.

'Molly it was just a boggart,' he said soothingly, patting her on the head. 'Just a stupid boggart...'

'I see them d-d-dead all the time!' Mrs. Weasley moaned into his shoulder. 'All the t-t-time! I d-d-dream about it...'

Sirius was staring at the patch of carpet where the boggart, pretending to be Harry's body, had lain. Moody was looking at Harry, who avoided his gaze. 'D-d-don't tell Arthur,' Mrs. Weasley was gulping now, mopping her eyes frantically with her cuffs. 'I d-d-don't want him to know... Being silly...'

Lupin handed her a handkerchief and she blew her nose.

'Harry, I'm so sorry. What must you think of me?' she said shakily. 'Not even able to get rid of a boggart...'

'Don't be stupid,' said Harry, trying to smile.

'I'm just s-s-so worried,' she said, tears spilling out of her eyes again. 'Half the f-f-family's in the Order, it'll b-b-be a miracle if we all come through this... and P-P-Percy's not talking to us... What if something d-d-dreadful happens and we've never m-m-made it up with him? And what's going to happen if Arthur and I get killed, who's g-g-going to look after Ron and Ginny?'

'Molly, that's enough,' said Lupin firmly. 'This isn't like last time. The Order are better prepared, we've got a head start, we know what Voldemort's up to-'

Mrs. Weasley gave a little squeak of fright at the sound of the name.

'Oh, Molly, come on, it's about time you got used to hearing his name-look, I can't promise no one's going to get hurt, nobody can promise that, but we're much better off than we were last time. You weren't in the Order then, you don't understand. Last time we were outnumbered twenty to one by the Death Eaters and they were picking us off one by one...'

'Don't worry about Percy,' said Sirius abruptly. 'He'll come round. It's only a matter of time before Voldemort moves into the open; once he does, the whole Ministry's going to be begging us to forgive them. And I'm not sure I'll be accepting their apology,' he added bitterly.

'And as for who's going to look after Ron and Ginny if you and Arthur died,' said Lupin, smiling slightly, 'what do you think we'd do, let them starve?'

Mrs. Weasley smiled tremulously.

'Being silly,' she muttered again, mopping her eyes. I abandoned my plans to talk to Harry and decided to call it an early night. It was late and I was tired. Also, nobody had yet noticed me in the shadow of the doorway, and I felt like keeping it that way. I ran up to my bedroom and pretended to cuddle down to bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: A Fresh Canvas  
"It's absolutely amazing." Hermione said hugging me as I presented her and Ginny my freshly completed painting.  
"Wow Gabi, this is insanely good! Like, you need to be an artist" she said, she traced the shining lines of her painted self's red hair. I giggled at their praise. "You don't mind if we leave it here, do you? I don't want it getting all messed p on our way to Hogwarts or in the dorm"  
"non, I don't mind" I smiled brightly at them. I caught Fred, who was walking into the kitchen where we stood, do a double take at my light-filled smile. My heart lept at his entranced look. Then he shook it off and walked over and rustled my hair.  
"Who's ready for their first ride on the Hogwarts express?" he asked smiling. I bit my lip. In actuality I was nervous, but I didn't want to admit to it. I knew my anxiety would lessen when I was reunited with Ria and CJ. I was counting the hours to meeting them at King's Cross this very morning. they must be dying of excitement. I heard a small hoot and looked up to see my owl from home tapping at the window, a letter from Papa attached to her leg.  
"Jolie!" I cried, running to open the window and grab for my tiny white owl. She rubbed her head against my hair jovially. I had left her in France, papa promising to send her over with a letter before I left. I then promptly began babbling to my pet in French, causing everyone to look at me oddly. I blushed pink in my cheeks and Fred laughed.  
"In the car now, the cab is here and we best be off" Mrs. Weasley commanded. I hopped to and grabbed my bags, almost knocking over the kitchen table in the process, then ran out into the front hall to avoid the laughter. Okay, so I was a bit clumsy.  
We reached the station after a horrifying ride that I think was the most unpleasant one the poor cabby ever had to make. I lept out immediately, half to get away from the owl that had been chewing on my hair the past hour, and half out of pure excitement. I scanned the crowd for my friends, Ginny gave me an odd look. "who are you looking for?"  
"My best friends, CJ and Ria, the ones I told you about?"  
"Ah, yes, the famed fellow Veela and the gay boy" Fred came up behind us, smiling as he quoted my descriptions of my best friends. I looked up at his eyes, they were a shade lighter blue than George's, which is how I could tell them apart. The twins were the only members of the Weasley family to have blue eyes.  
"Oui, Zey just arrived from France, I so desperately must see zem!" I squealed. I looked around wildly again, my hair flying out and whipping against Ginny's face. She grumbled and pushed my head away, but her groans had a hint of amusement in them, so I figured I hadn't deeply injured her personal well-being or anything.  
"Briiieeee" I heard and I whipped around and spread my arms in time to embrace the oncoming storm of Ria as she raced into my grasp. We hugged so tightly I thought I might have lost circulation. Then it was CJ's turn. I hugged him so tight that I think our heads might have exploded if we hadn't been pulled apart by a harried looking Mrs. Weasley wanting to get us on the train.  
"Guys, I's like you to meet my best friends, Ria and CJ, R and C, I'd like you to meet my new friends. Ginny, Hermione, Harry, Ron, Fred, and George" I announced, proud to actually have friends to introduce.  
"We've heard more than an earful about the two of you" Ron said, causing Hermione to slap him on the arm.  
"Ronald, be nice. He just means Gabi's told us all about the two of you, all good things of course" she smiled graciously. Ria smiled shyly, an unusual thing compared with her usually boisterous personality. Of course one must keep in mind she wasn't used to company besides CJ and I.  
"She  
Ers you call 'er Gabi?" Ria says shuttering. "last time I tried that, well you don't want to know what she did" CJ laughs loudly and I glare at him.  
"Don't you laugh Charles James." I say sticking my tongue out, "Nor you Rialla" they both shutter at the use of their full names.  
I noticed Harry and the others were saying their goodbyes to the adults. I quickly motioned for Ceej and Ria to wait a moment and then went to hug Sirius the dog goodbye, scratching his furry head. Then I hugged Mr. Weasley and Tonks.

A warning whistle sounded; the students still on the platform started hurrying on to the train.

'Quick, quick,' said Mrs. Weasley distractedly, hugging us at random and catching Harry twice, 'Write... Be good... If you've forgotten anything we'll send it on... Onto the train, now, hurry...' CJ and Ria were watching the blustering woman looking a little nervous, unsure how to fit in with a group so close, probably wondering how I had done it. Should I ell them that the key to Mrs. Weasley's heart was not being afraid to clean?

For one brief moment, the great black dog reared on to its hind legs and placed its front paws on Harry's shoulders, but Mrs. Weasley shoved Harry away towards the train door, hissing, 'For heaven's sake, act more like a dog, Sirius!'

'See you!' Harry called out of the open window as the train began to move, while Ron, Hermione, Ginny and I waved beside him. The figures of Tonks, Lupin, Moody, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley shrank rapidly but the black dog was bounding alongside the window, wagging its tail; blurred people on the platform were laughing to see it chasing the train, then they rounded a bend, and Sirius was gone.

'He shouldn't have come with us,' said Hermione in a worried voice.

'Oh, lighten up,' said Ron, 'he hasn't seen daylight for months, poor bloke.'

'Well,' said Fred, clapping his hands together, 'can't stand around chatting all day, we've got business to discuss with Lee. See you later,' and he and George disappeared down the corridor to the right. I waved at their retreating backs, the look in my eyes must have spoken to Ria, cause she looked at me funny, then glanced at Fred's retreating back, wondering what could've been going through my mind.

The train was gathering still more speed, so that the houses outside the window flashed past, and they swayed where they stood.

'Shall we go and find a compartment, then?' Harry asked.

Ron and Hermione exchanged looks. I was still absorbed with the window. The veiw out a train window is amazing to paint, everything blurred past like a hurricane of color. It was magnificent.

'Er,' said Ron.

'We're-well-Ron and I are supposed to go into the prefect carriage,' Hermione said awkwardly.

Ron wasn't looking at Harry; he seemed to have become intensely interested in the fingernails on his left hand.

'Oh,' said Harry. 'Right. Fine.' I could tell from the tone of his voice he wasn't thrilled.

'I don't think we'll have to stay there all journey,' said Hermione quickly. 'Our letters said we just get instructions from the Head Boy and Girl and then patrol the corridors from time to time.'

'Fine,' said Harry again. 'Well, I-I might see you later, then.'

'Yeah, definitely,' said Ron, casting a shifty, anxious look at Harry. 'It's a pain having to go down there, I'd rather-but we have to-I mean, I'm not enjoying it, I'm not Percy,' he finished defiantly.

'I know you're not,' said Harry and he grinned. But as Hermione and Ron dragged their trunks, Crookshanks, and a caged Pigwidgeon off towards the engine end of the train, Harry looked as though he was feeling oddly lost. Ginny looked at his unhappy expression and her eyes seemed sad, she clapped her hands together as if having an idea.

'Come on,' Ginny told him, 'if we get a move on we'll be able to save them places.'

'Right,' said Harry, picking up Hedwig's cage in one hand and the handle of his trunk in the other. We struggled off down the corridor, peering through the glass-panelled doors into the compartments they passed, which were already full. I could not help noticing that a lot of people stawithal Harry, and unfortunatley also at me, with great interest and that several of them nudged their neighbours and pointed us out. After we had met this behaviour in five consecutive carriages I remembered that the Daily Prophet had been telling its readers all summer what a lying show-off Harry was. I hoped they were staring at me simply because I was new, and that it had nothing to do with my veelaness. Ria and CJ were trailing behind, nervously hiding from actually looking into compartments. I had never seen them so shy. I vuagely wondered if they would open up to Harry and the others at all.

In the very last carriage we met Neville Longbottom, Harry's fellow fifth-year Gryffindor, or at least that's how he was introduced to me. his round face was shining with the effort of pulling his trunk along and maintaining a one-handed grip on his struggling toad. I waved at the boy and he dropped the toad to the ground. He blushed crimson and scrambled after it. Ginny gave me a look, I rolled my eyes at her, it's not my fault he got flustered.

'Hi, Harry,' he panted. 'Hi, Ginny... Everywhere's full... I can't find a seat...' the he managed to focus his eyes on me and my friends. "Who are they?" he asked.

'What are you talking about?' said Ginny, who had squeezed past Neville to peer into the compartment behind him. 'There's room in this one, there's only Loony Lovegood in here-' she hadn't introduced us yet and I looked at her and Harry, feeling a little peeved.

Neville mumbled something about not wanting to disturb anyone.

'Don't be silly,' said Ginny, laughing, 'she's all right.'

She slid the door open and pulled her trunk inside. Harry and Neville followed. I shrugged and entered in behind them, pulling Ria along with me, CJ followed tentatively.

'Hi, Luna,' said Ginny, 'is it okay if we take these seats?'

The girl beside the window looked up. She had straggly, waist-length, dirty-blonde hair, very pale eyebrows and protuberant eyes that gave her a permanently surprised look. I knew at once why Neville had chosen to pass this compartment by. The girl gave off an aura of distinct dottiness. Perhaps it was the fact that she had stuck her wand behind her left ear for safekeeping, or that she had chosen to wear a necklace of Butterbeer corks, or that she was reading a magazine upside-down. Her eyes ranged over Neville and came to rest on me. She nodded. I liked her instantly. She was amazing in her way, all that imagination you could just feel pouring out of her. She also seemed to have a certain sight in her eyes, one I was sure she alone had.

'Thanks,' said Ginny, smiling at her.

Harry and Neville stowed the three trunks and Hedwig's cage in the luggage rack and sat down. Luna watched them over her upside-down magazine, which was called The Quibbler. She did not seem to need to blink as much as normal humans. She stared and stared at me, as I had taken the seat opposite her. Ria and CJ next to me, Harry Ginny, Neville, and Luna on the other side. "Everyone these are the new exchange students from France" Ginny finally began introducing us, I stuck my tongue it at her and she smiled. "This here is Gabi, and her friends are Ria and CJ" she gestured to each of us in turn. "Gabi and friends meet Neville and Luna. Luna's a Ravenclaw in our year." Apperantly satisfied with her job of introducing, Ginny turned to Luna.

'Had a good summer, Luna?' Ginny asked.

'Yes,' said Luna dreamily, she looked away from me and over to Harry. without taking her eyes off Harry she said 'Yes, it was quite enjoyable, you know. You're Harry Potter,' she added.

'I know I am,' said Harry.

Neville chuckled. Luna turned her pale eyes on him instead.

'And I don't know who you are.'

'I'm nobody,' said Neville hurriedly.

'No you're not,' said Ginny sharply. 'Neville Longbottom-Luna Lovegood."

'Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure,' said Luna in a singsong voice.

She raised her upside-down magazine high enough to hide her face and fell silent. Harry and Neville looked at each other with their eyebrows raised. Ginny suppressed a giggle.

Then she abruptly pulled it down again and looked at me. "You're part Veela, you as well" she said glancing from me to Ria. Ria looked nervous, but I smiled and nodded. I would have loved to paint her, those giant eyes would make a perfect subject. "Veela are surprisingly human" she said simply as I assessed the lines in her face, already drawing my sketchbook out of my bag. I startled at her words but looked up to meet those huge eyes.

"Yes, I suppose so" I said quietly. Ria gave me a questioning look as the girl dissapeered again, Ginny smothered a giggle, but I liked the girls words. I liked being considered human.

The train rattled onwards, speeding us out into open country. It was an odd, unsettled sort of day; one moment the carriage was full of sunlight and the next they were passing beneath ominously grey clouds.

'Guess what I got for my birthday?' said Neville. He had been silent up until now, I think RIa and I had been a bit much for the sy young boy, he couldn't seem to do anything but stare at the ground. He finally regained his mouth however.

'Another Remembrall?' said Harry, I wondered why he would assume that. Maybe Neville was forgetful like me. I was always bumbling about forgetting something or another, I could never keep my head on straight. I would've had a whole store of rememberalls by now, but every time Maman got me a new one I woud forget where I'd placed it.  
'No,' said Neville. 'I could do with one, though, I lost the old one ages ago... No, look at this...'

He dug the hand that was not keeping a firm grip on his toad into his schoolbag and after a little bit of rummaging pulled out what appeared to be a small grey cactus in a pot, except that it was covered with what looked like boils rather than spines.

'Mimbulus mimbletonia,' he said proudly.

I stared at the thing. It was pulsating slightly, giving it the rather sinister look of some diseased internal organ.

'It's really, really rare,' said Neville, beaming. 'I don't know if there's one in the greenhouse at Hogwarts, even. I can't wait to show it to Professor Sprout. My Great Uncle Algie got it for me in Assyria. I'm going to see if I can breed from it.'

'Does it-er-do anything?' Harry asked.

'Loads of stuff!' said Neville proudly. 'It's got an amazing defensive mechanism. Here, hold Trevor for me...'

He dumped the toad into Harry's lap and took a quill from his schoolbag. Luna Lovegood's popping eyes appeared over the top of her upside-down magazine again, watching what Neville was doing. Neville held the Mimbulus mimbletonia up to his eyes, his tongue between his teeth, chose his spot, and gave the plant a sharp prod with the tip of his quill.

Liquid squirted from every boil on the plant; thick, stinking, dark green jets of it. They hit the ceiling, the windows, and spattered Luna Lovegood's magazine; Ginny, who had flung her arms up in front of her face just in time, merely looked as though she was wearing a slimy green hat, but Harry, whose hands had been busy preventing Trevor's escape, received a faceful. It smelled like rancid manure. As for me and my friends, Ria was absolutely coated, as she was across from Neville. And CJ had hid his face in his tee-shirt. I was less coated then them, but the stuff clung in my hair. I lifted a strand, interested. It made a cool texture when spewed onto hair, and a cool color. Ria rolled her eyes as she saw me assessing it with a huge smile.

"Oh god, now she's going to paint stinksap" Ria groaned, Ginny, Harry, and CJ laughed.

"SO she really does do that with everything?" Ginny questioned and Ria nodded. Neville, who had gotton the most sap, was just now recovering from his shock and spitting out mouthfuls of the stuff.  
'Sosorry,' he gasped. 'I haven't tried that before... Didn't realise it would be quite so... Don't worry, though, Stinksap's not poisonous,' he added nervously, as Harry spat a mouthful on to the floor.

At that precise moment the door of the compartment slid open.

'Oh ... hello, Harry,' said a nervous voice. 'Um ... bad time?'

Harry wiped the lenses of his glasses with his Trevor-free hand. A very pretty girl with long, shiny black hair was standing in the doorway smiling. She had eyes only for Harry, not even glancing at the rest of us, and she didn't even seem put off by the sap on his face. Clearly, this girl had quite a crush.  
'Oh ... hi,' said Harry blankly.

'Um...' said Cho. 'Well ... just thought I'd say hello ... 'bye then.'

Rather pink in the face, she closed the door and departed. Harry slumped back in his seat and groaned. I'm guessing that her crush was very much shared by Harry, and felt bad for the boy. I would've offered him a kind word, but if you haven't gleaned this by now, I'm not exactly a socially well-adjusted person. I'm rather awkward most of the time. I just happen to be lucky that I'm awkward in a way most people view as charm.

'Never mind,' said Ginny bracingly. 'Look, we can easily get rid of all this.' She pulled out her wand. 'Scourgify!'

The Stinksap vanished.

'Sorry.' said Neville again, in a small voice.

Ron and Hermione did not turn up for nearly an hour, by which time the food trolley had already gone by. I hadn't gotton anything from the trolly, not sure what it all was. However Ginny and Harry provided me and my two friends with detailed discriptions of Bristish wizarding treats and I did try some Bertie Bot's Beans. Harry, Ginny, and Neville had finished their pumpkin pasties and were busy swapping Chocolate Frog Cards when the compartment door slid open and they walked in, accompanied by Crookshanks and a shrilly hooting Pigwidgeon in his cage.

'I'm starving,' said Ron, stowing Pigwidgeon next to Hedwig, grabbing a Chocolate Frog from Harry and throwing himself into the seat next to him. He ripped open the wrapper, bit off the frog's head and leaned back with his eyes closed as though he had had a very exhausting morning.

'Well, there are two fifth-year prefects from each house,' said Hermione, looking thoroughly disgruntled as she took her seat. 'Boy and girl from each.'

'And guess who's a Slytherin prefect?' said Ron, still with his eyes closed.

'Malfoy,' replied Harry at once, certain his worst fear would be confirmed.

' 'Course,' said Ron bitterly, stuffing the rest of the Frog into his mouth and taking another.

'And that complete cow Pansy Parkinson,' said Hermione viciously. 'How she got to be a prefect when she's thicker than a concussed troll...'

"Who's Malfoy?" I asked curiously. Hermione turned to me and sighed.

"Not a person you ever want to meet, though I don't doubt you will. He's this bloke from slytherin, mean as they come. He won't like you or Ria much either, has a vendetta against anyone not pure blood wizard, and Veela's aren't full wizard to him." She ran a hand through her hair and looked out the window.

"Sytherins the bad house right?" CJ piped up. Ron turned to him.

"You kidding? Worst house in history. Those Slytherins would faster stab you in your sleep than beat you fair and square on the quidditch pitch" Ron says heatedly.

"That's cheap, I can't stand anyone who cheats quidditch. I played a chaser at Beauxbatons, but the team was recreational, I hear you have real competition at Hogwarts" and with that I knew CJ and Ron would be occupied happily for the rest of the ride. CJ could never have enough of quidditch, and I sensed Ron was much the same.

'Who are Hufflepuff's?' Harry asked.

'Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott,' said Ron thickly.

'And Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil for Ravenclaw,' said Hermione.

'You went to the Yule Ball with Padma Patil,' said a vague voice.

Everyone turned to look at Luna Lovegood, who was gazing unblinkingly at Ron over the top of The Quibbler. He swallowed his mouthful of Frog.

'Yeah, I know I did,' he said, looking mildly surprised.

'She didn't enjoy it very much,' Luna informed him. 'She doesn't think you treated her very well, because you wouldn't dance with her. I don't think I'd have minded,' she added thoughtfully, 'I don't like dancing very much.'

She retreated behind The Quibbler again. Ron stared at the cover with his mouth hanging open for a few seconds, then looked around at Ginny for some kind of explanation, but Ginny had stuffed her knuckles in her mouth to stop herself giggling. Ron shook his head, bemused, then checked his watch.

'We're supposed to patrol the corridors every so often,' he told Harry and Neville, 'and we can give out punishments if people are misbehaving. I can't wait to get Crabbe and Goyle for something...'

'You're not supposed to abuse your position, Ron!' said Hermione sharply.

'Yeah, right, because Malfoy won't abuse it at all,' said Ron sarcastically.

'So you're going to descend to his level?'

'No, I'm just going to make sure I get his mates before he gets mine.'

'For heavens sake, Ron-'

'I'll make Goyle do lines, it'll kill him, he hates writing,' said Ron happily. He lowered his voice to Goyle's low grunt and, screwing up his face in a look of pained concentration, mimed writing in midair. 'I ... must ... not ... look ... like ... a ... baboon's ... backside.'

Everyone laughed, but nobody laughed harder than Luna Lovegood. She let out a scream of mirth that caused Hedwig to wake up and flap her wings indignantly and Crookshanks to leap up into the luggage rack, hissing. Luna laughed so hard her magazine slipped out of her grasp, slid down her legs, and onto the floor.

'That was funny!'

Her prominent eyes swam with tears as she gasped for breath, staring at Ron. Utterly nonplussed, he looked around at the others, who were now laughing at the expression on Ron's face and at the ludicrously prolonged laughter of Luna Lovegood, who was rocking backwards and forwards, clutching her sides.

'Are you taking the mickey?' said Ron, frowning at her.

'Baboon's ... backside!' she choked, holding her ribs. I was a bit distracted by all the laughter, people are truly wonderous when they laugh, so much simple motion, but I did notice Harry Lean down and pick up Luna's quibbler. He read through it for a bit.

'Anything good in there?' asked Ron as Harry closed the magazine.

'Of course not,' said Hermione scathingly, before Harry could answer. 'The Quibbler's rubbish, everyone knows that.'

'Excuse me,' said Luna; her voice had suddenly lost its dreamy quality. 'My father's the editor.'

'I-oh,' said Hermione, looking embarrassed. 'Well ... it's got some interesting ... I mean, it's quite...'

'I'll have it back, thank you,' said Luna coldly, and leaning forwards she snatched it out of Harry's hands. Riffling through it to page fifty-seven, she turned it resolutely upside-down again and disappeared behind it, just as the compartment door opened for the third time.

I looked around; there was a ferrety blonde boy stabnding there, two huge ugly boys behind him, I could only assume that they were someone quite distasteful as the others were glaring at them. 'What Malfoy?' Harry said aggressively, before the boy could open his mouth.

'Manners, Potter, or I'll have to give you a detention,' drawled the Malfoy boy. 'You see, I, unlike you, have been made a prefect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments.'

'Yeah,' said Harry, 'but you, unlike me, are a git, so get out and leave us alone.'

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville laughed. Malfoy's lip curled.

'Tell me, how does it feel being second-best to Weasley, Potter?' he asked.

'Shut up, Malfoy,' said Hermione sharply.

'I seem to have touched a nerve,' said Malfoy, smirking. 'Well, just watch yourself, Potter, because I'll be dogging your footsteps in case you step out of line.' His eyes suddenly found me. "Who's this?" He asked curiously. I wanted to run, to hide, from the two monstrous boys behind the blonde. One of them was practically assaulting me with his eyes. I cringed, there was something cruel in his gaze that terrified me to no end. I had never been particularly tough, and evil always frightened me so when I saw it in someone's face. "Potter have you found yourself a couple of Veela whores? The nasty boy laughed. The insult really didn't insult me much. I was fine with cruel words. I just wasn't fine with those probing eyes. CJ looked ready to throw a punch, he was always the protector. I figured that Ginny was about at that point too, and somehow figured her punch would be a lot more powerful.

'Get out!' said Hermione, standing up.

Sniggering, Malfoy gave us a last malicious look and departed, with his two bodyguards lumbering along in his wake. Hermione slammed the compartment door behind them and turned to look at me. "Well that's Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle" she sighed.

'Chuck us another Frog,' said Ron.

The weather remained undecided as we travelled farther and farther north. Rain spattered the windows in a half-hearted way, then the sun put in a feeble appearance before clouds drifted over it once more. When darkness fell and lamps came on inside the carriages, Luna rolled up The Quibbler, put it carefully away in her bag and took to staring at everyone in the compartment instead.

Harry was sitting with his forehead pressed against the train window, trying to get a first distant glimpse of Hogwarts, but it was a moonless night and the rain-streaked window was grimy.

'We'd better change,' said Hermione at last, and all of us opened their trunks with difficulty and pulled on our school robes. One's which were brand new in the case of me and my friends. She and Ron pinned their prefect badges carefully to their chests. At last, the train began to slow down and everybody scrambled to get their luggage and pets assembled, ready for departure. Ron and Hermione were supposed to supervise all this; they disappeared from the carriage again, leaving me and the others to look after Crookshanks and Pigwidgeon.

'I'll carry that owl, if you like,' said Luna to Harry, reaching out for Pigwidgeon as Neville stowed Trevor carefully in an inside pocket.

'Oh-er-thanks,' said Harry, handing her the cage and hoisting Hedwig's more securely into his arms.

we shuffled out of the compartment feeling the first sting of the night air on our faces as we joined the crowd in the corridor. Slowly, we moved towards the doors. I could smell the pine trees that lined the path down to the lake.  
A brisk female voice was calling out, 'First years line up over here, please! All first years to me!' I wondered if I should go with her, because I was technically new to the school.

"Should we go with her?" I asked nervously. Ginny turned her focus on me, Ria. And CJ, who I'm sure were all looking very lost. Harry seemed distracted by the sight of the woman, Luna just seemed distracted all together, though that was probably normal.

"I'd say it's probably best if you do" Ginny nodded. "She'ss lead you to be sorted. You should be following Hagrid, but apparently he's not here" she looked off in the same direction as Harry.

I linked arms with Ria and CJ and we started to walk towards the woman, I could feel Ria shiver with nerves. We were about to be sorted.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: hey, sorry for the long wait for an update. It's been a busy two weeks. I started school. From now on there should be anupdate everyweek. Please read and review. I'm taking suggestions on story twists and stuff.

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Harry Potter. Those brilliant masterpieces of book belong solely to JK Rowling.

Chapter 5: The Sorting

I bit my nails nervously and clutched Ria's hand as we stood waiting to file into the Great hall. We were to be sorted after all the first years had taken their seats. I was nervous not only about being sorted, but also about the Hogwart's students reactions to me. They might hate me, jeer at me, decide I'm too beautiful the way the kids of Beauxbatons did. They might rip me to pieces.

I watched the faces of the first years. All more nervous than I was. Some were muggle born, some were not, but none of them really had any idea what was in store for them here. After the tournament last year, I had a vague idea of the happenings of Hogwarts, which was a comfort. "Alright students follow in behind me in a straight line" a voice I recognized said. I looked around, it was Professor McGonagal, who I had seen many times at the Order's headquarters. She gave me a small smile when she caught my eye and it raised my hopes.

We filed into the great hall and though I had seen it before, I was overcome again by its magnificence. The ceiling showed the nights stars, the candles floated about lovely, the students were a pool of black robes and colorful ties. Goodness I wanted my sketchpad. I was beginning to realize I had a bit of an addiction to painting any beautiful thing I saw. We soon to be sorted stood in out own pool of human flesh at the back of the Hall. All of our faces reflecting on each other, our fear reflecting on each other. Ginny caught my eye and waved and smiled, Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed her gaze and did the same.

The buzz of talk in the Great Hall faded away. The first-years lined up in front of the staff table facing the rest of the students, and Professor McGonagall placed the stool carefully in front of them, then stood back.

The first-years' faces glowed palely in the candlelight. A small boy right in the middle of the row looked as though he was trembling. Harry recalled, fleetingly, how terrified he had felt when he had stood there, waiting for the unknown test that would determine to which house he belonged.

The whole school waited with bated breath. Then the rip near the hat's brim opened wide like a mouth and the Sorting Hat burst into song:

In times of old when I was new

And Hogwarts barely started

The founders of our noble school

Thought never to be parted:

United by a common goal,

They had the selfsame yearning,

To make the world's best magic school

And pass along their learning.

'Together we will build and teach!'

The four good friends decided

And never did they dream that they

Might some day be divided,

For were there such friends anywhere

As Slytherin and Gryffindor?

Unless it was the second pair

Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?

So how could it have gone so wrong?

How could such friendships fail?

Why, I was there and so can tell

The whole sad, sorry tale.

Said Slytherin, 'We'll teach just those

Whose ancestry is purest.'

Said Ravenclaw, 'We'll teach those whose

Intelligence is surest.'

Said Gryffindor, 'We'll teach all those

With brave deeds to their name,'

Said Hufflepuff, 'I'll teach the lot,

And treat them just the same.'

These differences caused little strife

When first they came to light,

For each of the four founders had

A house in which they might

Take only those they wanted, so,

For instance, Slytherin

Took only pure-blood wizards

Of great cunning, just like him,

And only those of sharpest mind

Were taught by Ravenclaw

While the bravest and the boldest

Went to daring Gryffindor.

Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,

And taught them all she knew,

Thus the houses and their founders

Retained friendships firm and true.

So Hogwarts worked in harmony

For several happy years,

But then discord crept among us

Feeding on our faults and fears.

The houses that, like pillars four,

Had once held up our school,

Now turned upon each other and,

Divided, sought to rule.

And for a while it seemed the school

Must meet an early end,

What with duelling and with fighting

And the clash of friend on friend

And at last there came c morning

When old Slytherin departed

And though the fighting then died out

He left us quite downhearted.

And never since the founders four

Were whittled down to three

Have the houses been united

As they once were meant to be.

And now the Sorting Hat is here

And you all know the score:

I sort you into houses

Because that is what I'm for,

But this year I'll go further,

Listen closely to my song:

Though condemned I am to split you

Still I worry that it's wrong,

Though I must fulfil my duty

And must quarter every year

Still I wonder whether Sorting

May not bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,

The warning history shows,

For our Hogwarts is in danger

From external, deadly foes

And we must unite inside her

Or we'll crumble from within

I have told you, I have warned you . . .

Let the Sorting now begin.

The Hat became motionless once more; applause broke out. I contemplated the song for a moment. It seemed to be warning the Hogwarts houses. I had learned from Harry and Ron that houses tended to compete and separate and the sort, but apparently it was more dire these days. I mean, with an evil villain like Voldemort wandering around, it was kinda necessary that people united against him.

I looked over at the slytherin table, ignoring the boys from earlier, one of the two big brutes, Goyle I think, seemed to be watching me. I let my eyes wander over the other slytherins, trying to see if they all seemed like such bad people.

I wish I cold say I saw a whole bunch of kind-looking people and figured instantly I could be fiends with then, but honestly they all looked really unpleasant. One girl was giving me a deth stare so evil I thought to check my heartbeat to make sure her harsh eyes hadn't struck me dead. I decided to meet her eyes with my own rather than shying away. I looked her dead on, but I didn't glare. I'm not sure I even really felt the need to glare. I didn't anger easily, mostly I only got mad if I felt some injustice was being done. Like back before magical France legalized Gay marriage. I had felt it was so unjust that gay people couldn't get married even though they were just the same as the rest of us. So in response I held this huge petition and ended up forcing the board of governors to legalize it. Which wasn't to hard since daddy supports it and he is in charge.

I moved my eyes forward, McGonagal was calling names and timid first years were stepping forward. As they each got sorted into their particular houses the tables cheered and cheered. House unity may be low, but apparently house loyalty ran strong. I looked up and became so fixated on the magical sky I can't say I even noticed when all the first years had sat and McGonagal said: "This year we have three transfer students from Beauxbatons. Please do your best to give them a warm welcome." then she called "Artulie, Charles James" and I suddenly snapped to attention. CJ walked to the front of the hall and the hat was placed onto his head. He fifties nervously in his seat and I smiled at him reassuringly.

"Ravenclaw!" that hat sung out. Dang, I had really wanted us all to be in the same house as my new friends. But apparently CJ belonged in Ravenclaw. I understood why, he was so bright.

"Delacour, Gabrielle" McGonagal called and I gulped, forcing my feet to move forward. I was aware, as I usually am not, of all the stares and whispers. I heard clips of what the other students were saying "Must be Veela" and "she's sooo hot" and the sort. Why did everyone have to see my outsides before my insides. I wish that the world worked the opposite, I wish people saw your personality and learned about your beauty as they got to know you. I wish that I lived in a world where I was invisible, and though people could know me, they could never ever see me. Yet I could still see everything.

I sat on the stool and the hat was placed onto my head. The voice of the hat instantly filled my thoughts. "hmmm what to do with you Veela girl" the hat hummed into my ears. "you couldn't even set foot near Slytherin, you're so pure that it could burn them, like water on the wicked witch of the west." did a magical hat just reference a muggle book? I liked this school. "Too much power and far too much brains for Hufflepuff, thought they are loyal in that house, and unfailingly kind, still you wouldn't fit." this was taking longer than it had for most others, which made me feel quite uncomfortable. What if it told me I didn't fit in any of the houses.

"Excuse me, but please put me in Gryffindor" I mentally butted in. I had decided it was best if I formed with my new friends. CJ and Ria would have an in with the group so long as I was with them, and them we could all be friends, uniting Ravenclaw and Gryffindore. Though personally I'm pretty sure I'd have enjoyed Ravenclaw more, considering it seemed a good place to be both weird and intelligent, but Gryffindor was necessary. I knew it was, I could feel it.

"You are more of a Ravenclaw girl, though you're brave it's true. You'd fit better in with the smart ones." I stared at Ginny, who I would have loved to dorm with. Would she be my friend still if I was in a different house? Would I still be able to sit with them at meals.

"Please, Gryffindor." I requested again. I could almost feel the hat delving into my soul.

"Rav..." the hat started, I yelled at it with all my mental energy, and it seemed cowed. I doubt anyone had bossed it around quite like this before. "Ahem," I cleared it's... Well it doesn't have a throat so who knows. "Gryffindor!" I smiled largely and hopped off the stool, going to join my new friends. I sat down between Ginny and Hermione and smiled broadly.

"Umm Gabbers did the sorting hat just almost put you in Ravenclaw? How the hell did you change it's mind?" Fred asked from,across the table.

"Well I kinda told it it better put me in Gryffindor or else.." I looked at his sparkling eyes and he laughed out loud.

"What has Hogwarts gotten itself into? Gabi Delacour you better join my pranking team"

"Fred we need to get her to blow up a toilet!" George said laughing happily. Hermione glared.

"Ron and I, as prefects, can't condone.." she trailed off as Ron interrupted.

"Hey leave me as far out of this as possible. If Gabi wants to blow up a toilet I'm not stopping her" I smiled at him and Harry sniggered into his plate. Hermione looked at him unhappily.

"I remember the first time I blew a toilet up with my brothers" Ginny said reminiscently, we all laughed. This whole time the sorting hat had been sitting on Ria's head, taking just as long as it had with me. Maybe Veela were particularly difficult to sort. Part of me hoped Ria would be a Gryffindor, but I knew it would be better for CJ if she was a Ravenclaw with him. I hated being separated from them, hated it so much, but I knew it was the best thing. I loved my friends, but we needed my connection to the crew of Gryffindors I had gotten to know.

"However much you scared the hat" Ginny said as Ria was finally sorted into Ravenclaw "I'm glad that you're in our house. We get to dorm together! I need a dorm mate that doesn't drive me batty, once you meet our four dorm mates you'll understand" she sighed. I much prefer spending time with Mione and Luna and Harry and Ron." I was nodding as she told her story, but I had been distracted by the sudden appearance of food on the table. It was British food, all heavy favors and thick meats. I had always been delicate, and a vegetarian for that matter, so my greatest fear about Hogwarts had been the food.

"Ginny, I don't like eating animals, is there any fresh salad or tofu?" I asked. She gave me an incredulous look.

"You're one of those?" she asked.

"Yes, I am one of those organic granola headed people who likes tofu and salad.,I on early don't do it to be a stuck-up organic hippy though, I just genuinely feel sick eating anything that was alive" I explain. She rolls her eyes.

"Honestly I'm not surprised. I can't imagine you hurting a fly. I'm more surprised I didn't notice at Grimauld place"

"Well I hate when people find out and think I'm some stuck up French prick. Plus your maman made such good food." I find the salad, as well as some cheesy potatoes. I pile my plate. "I'm no health food freak however, if mama and Fleur would let me I would subsist on candy and fatty food"

"Well thank god for that, those healthy people make me feel like I must weigh 500 pounds"

We ate and laughed and watched Ron offend a ghost, but after a while I had to excuse myself to go speak with Ria an CJ. I went over to the Ravenclaw table and wrapped my arms around my friends. "Hey guys. Congrats on Ravenclaw, I was almost here too." Ria looked up and hugged me close.

"I've never been in a drm without my bed being right next to yours Brie" she said worriedly. I ruffled her hair and kissed CJ's cheek.

"Why did it put you in Gryffindor?" CJ asked unhappily.

"I wanted it to. I want a way to stay connected with these new friends, that way I can help them get to know you. Don't worry. You are still my favorite people in the world, nothing can change that. And you'll still be seeing way too much of me" I promised. Ria laughed.

"It's not all together a bad idea actually. And we'll make friends in Ravenclaw and then it can help that whole inter-house unity thing" she smiled that wide Ria smile and I gave her a kiss on the cheek, but had to hurry back to the Gryffindor table as the headmaster stood and cleared his throat.

'Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices,' said Dumbledore. 'First-years ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students - and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too.' (Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged smirks.)

'Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr Filch's office door.

'We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.'

There was a round of polite but fairly unenthusiastic applause, during which Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged slightly panicked looks. I had gleaned from conversation that someone named Hagrid was missing, they must've been very close to the man. "Hey guys" I butted in, "Wasn't that Umbridge woman at the ministry the day of Harry's hearing?"

"Yeah, I remembered her too. She actually sat in on the hearing, voted against me too" Harry said with distaste. "How could Dumbledore hire her?" he stared at the twinkly eyes man in confusion. I looked at the old headmaster as well. I had met Dumbledore several times the previous year, he was actually quite a wonderful man. He was kind, intelligent, funny. I wished I had a chance to get to know him better.

Dumbledore continued, 'Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the - '

He broke off, looking enquiringly at Professor Umbridge. As she was not much taller standing than sitting, there was a moment when nobody understood why Dumbledore had stopped talking, but then Professor Umbridge cleared her throat, 'Hem, hem,' and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech.

Dumbledore only looked taken aback for a moment, then he sat down smartly and looked alertly at Professor Umbridge as though he desired nothing better than to listen to her talk. Other members of staff were not as adept at hiding their surprise. Professor Sprout's eyebrows had disappeared into her flyaway hair and Professor McGonagall's mouth was as thin as I had ever seen it. No new teacher had ever interrupted Dumbledore before. Many of the students were smirking; this woman obviously did not know how things were done at Hogwarts.

Thank you, Headmaster,' Professor Umbridge simpered, 'for those kind words of welcome.'

Her voice was high-pitched, breathy and little-girlish and, again, I felt a powerful rush of dislike that i could not explain to myself; all i knew was that I loathed everything about her, from her stupid voice to her fluffy pink cardigan. She gave another little throat-clearing cough ('hem, hem') and continued.

'Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!' She smiled, revealing very pointed teeth. 'And to see such happy little faces looking up at me!'

I glanced around. None of the faces he could see looked happy. On the contrary, they all looked rather taken-aback at being addressed as though they were five years old.

'I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!'

Students exchanged looks at this; some of them were barely concealing grins.

'I'll be her friend as long as I don't have to borrow that cardigan,' A dark haired girl whispered to the girl I'd heard someone call Lavender, and both of them lapsed into silent giggles.

Professor Umbridge cleared her throat again ('hem, hem'), but when she continued, some of the breathiness had vanished from her voice. She sounded much more businesslike and now her words had a dull learned-by-heart sound to them.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the wizarding community must be passed down the generations lest we lose them for ever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching." what was this stuff? Why had Dumbledore hired such a woman. I wondered if the ministry had forced her in.

Professor Umbridge paused here and made a little bow to her fellow staff members, none of whom bowed back to her. Professor McGonagall's dark eyebrows had contracted so that she looked positively hawklike, and I distinctly saw her exchange a significant glance with Professor Sprout as Umbridge gave another little 'hem, hem' and went on with her speech.

'Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation . . ."

Professor Umbridge did not seem to notice the restlessness of her audience. I had the impression that a full-scale riot could have broken out under her nose and she would have ploughed on with her speech. The teachers, however, were still listening very attentively, and Hermione seemed to be drinking in every word Umbridge spoke, though, judging by her expression, they were not at all to her taste.

'. . . because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognised as errors of judgement. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited.'

She sat down. Dumbledore clapped. The staff followed his lead, though I noticed that several of them brought their hands together only once or twice before stopping. A few students joined in, but most had been taken unawares by the end of the speech, not having listened to more than a few words of it, and before they could start applauding properly, Dumbledore had stood up again.

Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating,' he said, bowing to her. 'Now, as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held . . .'

'Yes, it certainly was illuminating,' said Hermione in a low voice. I looked at her startled. I had been paying absolutly no attention. I had been having a who could make the funniest face contest with Fred, who sat across the table from me.

'You're not telling me you enjoyed it?' Ron said quietly, turning a glazed face towards Hermione. That was about the dullest speech I've ever heard, and I grew up with Percy.'

'I said illuminating, not enjoyable,' said Hermione. 'It explained a lot.'

'Did it?' said Harry in surprise. 'Sounded like a load of waffle to me.'

There was some important stuff hidden in the waffle,' said Hermione grimly.

'Was there?' said Ron blankly.

'How about: "progress for progress's sake must be discouraged"? How about: "pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited"?'

'Well, what does that mean?' said Ron impatiently.

'I'll tell you what it means,' said Hermione through gritted teeth. 'It means the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts.'

There was a great clattering and banging all around them; Dumbledore had obviously just dismissed the school, because everyone was standing up ready to leave the Hall. Hermione jumped up, looking flustered.

'Ron, we're supposed to show the first-years where to go!'

'Oh yeah,' said Ron, who had obviously forgotten. 'Hey - hey, you lot! Midgets!'

'Ron!'

'Well, they are, they're titchy . . .'

'I know, but you can't call them midgets! - First-years!' Hermione called commandingly along the table. 'This way, please!'

I looked over to Harry. "Don't suppose you could tell me where the dorm is?" I asked smiling. "I want to meet my new dorm-mates" he nodded.

"Yeah, course Ginny can show you how to get up to your dorm once we get to the dorm room" he said, Ginny had moved away down the table and was talking to a boy with an Irish accent. "That's Seamus" Harry said following my eyes. Seamus had looked up and caught sight of me, his eyes had suddenly gone gooey. I looked down at the table, my plate had been cleared away. I looked up again to see Ginny heading back over.

"Come on Gabi, let's introduce you to the girls. Seamus was just telling me the password before you distracted him, poor boy. But get this, password's Mimblus mimbltonia!" she laughed

"like Neville's plant!" I exclaimed. We started for the door of the Great Hall with Harry in tow. "So who do we dorm with?" I asked Ginny.

"Four girls: Diana Filworth, Emma Owens, Gina Williams, and Hattie Burton. Hattie's really the only one that's tolerable. She's my friend, not close like Harry and them, but still, she's great fun" Ginny told me. "The others clump together, and there crazy seriously. So stuck up, just cause they live in London and I live in the Cotswolds" she seemed a bit angry just thinking of them.

"Losers" I agreed. "I saw pictures of your house from your maman, I would love to live zere" I said, yawning a bit.

"You're tired Gabi, this is the first I've heard your French accent slip out all day" Ginny slipped her arm around my shoulder. I was sleepy, yes, but the moving staircases gave me cause to stay alert. Ginny, I realized, was already starting to mother me a bit. I had that effect on people I'd realized. People Viewed me as a child, even though I looked older. They saw me as innocent and vulnerable, probably because I really was. It never bothered me though. I didn't mind when people cared for me. I didn't have that harsh stuck-up edge of my sister, so maman, while she still was exasperated by my improperness, had always babied me the most. And papa? Well papa called me his baby angel for a reason.

"Will zese ozzer girls dislike me?" I asked nervously as we approached a portrait.

"Honestly Gabs? I don't know. I mean it when I say there stuck up and pretentious, they're also the jealous type. The type who won't exactly embrace Having a Veela rooming with them." I nodded, sad but understanding.

"Are the people here like that overall?" I asked. The harsh-looking Slytherins had scared me, but after the kindness of the Weasley's I had some confidence about British Wizards accepting me.

"You'll find a mix. Slytherin blood purists are gonna want to force you out of the school, but all the Gryffindor's as a whole should like you. And The boys will certainly like you" she laughed. I turned bright red.

"I don't really date. Boys are kinda dangerous for a Veela my age" I explained "I mean I've had crushes on boys, but I just really never thought anything old work out. I just need to meet someone I can trust" she nodded understandingly. "Do you have any crushes Gin?" I asked.

It was her turn to turn red. "Umm well I used to have this huge crush on Harry, but umm I kinda gave up on it. I think I like this boy in our year, Michael Corner, he's nice, I've heard he likes me" she finished lamely.

"I bet he asks you out!" I exclaimed excitedly. I'd never really had a person who I could talk about boys with before. She rolled her eyes.

"Mimbulus mimbltonia" she says to the fat portrait. The woman greets us and swings open, revealing the Gryffindor common room. I gasp in amazement at the cozy room. Plenty of windows and cuddly arm chairs. It s lost empty of students as of tonight however. I look at Ginny questioningly. "First night, everyone's always off to bed early on the first night. Soon it's place will never get rid of its crowd" she laughed. I followed as she led me up a staircase to our room.

The room had six beds, each with gold covers and gold curtains. I smiled and plopped on the empty one, as Ginny had already marked her territory, as had the other girls. Since the room had clearly always had just five beds in the past, and everyone already had there usual one, my bed had an odd olfaction. It was shoved into the windowsill, fitting just barely inside the windowed area, the curtain just stretching to hide me from the rest of the room. The window had a fantastic view, I could see the forest, the lake, and plenty of the sky. It was the best bed location I could have ever dreamed. The bed nearest to mine, though it was clearly one of the ones alway meant to be in the room, was Ginny's. She hugged a girl with pitch black hair as I inspected my cool bed. Then she turned to me.

"Hattie this is Gabi, Gabi, meet Hattie" the dark haired girl held out her hand for me to shake. "And Gabi this is Diana, Emma, and Gina" she gestured to the three per girls in the room. They all had matching mousy brown hair and perfectly plucked eyebrows. They seemed the type to be always wearing perfect close and always having perfectly done makeup. I understood Ginny's annoyance immediately. They all waved at me cautiously, I tried a smile but they just looked at one another and giggled. I sat down feeling dejected.

"Well it's nice to meet you all, I think I'll get to bed" I quickly ducked behind the curtains and began pulling on my nightdress. I didn't have the energy to go brush my teeth, I was suddenly horribly tired. I threw my dirty clothes to the end of the bed and crawled under the covers. I peeked out of my curtain, Ginny's curtains were drawn already. "Night Gin" I whispered as I had done every night back at Grimauld place.

"Night Gabs" she whispered back. "See you in the morning love" and then we both retreated behind our curtains to sleep.

I lay awake a bit, thinking about all that had happened that day. I heard the familiar sounds of Ginny's sleep breath. I smiled to myself, but then I heard a whisper. "I can't believe that thing is rooming with us" one of the other girls whispered. "Bet she gets Veela germs all over everything" the voice continued disgustedly. I wondered who it was, betting it wasn't Hattie, so it must have been one of the others. I peeked out from behind the curtains and confirmed the voice as Diana's.

"Veela's are all whores, the whole lot of them. Mum says they'll steal your man and go with him, then break his heart. It's like how they fuel there Veela powers or something." I saw Gina speak. A tear dripped from my eye.

"She was acting all innocent and stuff, but I bet she's disgusting under those robes. Bet she lost her virginity at like ten years old and now she's like some mini sex-pot. I don't want her near me ever" the third one, Emma, chimed in. I was crying silently into my shirt. This always happened. Everywhere I went people would just hate me. How did I think Hogwarts would be different from Beauxbatons? I'd never fit in anywhere with this cursing Veela blood in my veins. You did make friends with Ginny and everyone, they all accept you, a voice in my head reminded me. It was true, they hadn't cared I was a Veela, and all the Gryffindors at dinner had been so kind, and I'd seen Ria making friends at the Ravenclaw table. Maybe these girls in particular were just shallow like Beauxbatons girls.

"Why don't you three shut the hell up?" Hattie said sounding annoyed. "She's a fine girl, and you really don't want me to tell Ginny what you all said about Gabrielle. I can tell she loves the girl, and her bat-bogey hex isn't something you want to experience" that shushed the other girls, who mumbled at Hatyie to mind her own business, but pulled there curtains shut. I quickly ducked behind mine so nobody new I had been listening. I wiped my tears away with my hand, smiling at Hattie defending me though she didn't even know me. I looked out the window at the beautiful view. I was going to like Hogwarts.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: okay okay so I'm about a week late on this chapter yes. But hey, I write long chapters, plus I try to follow Harry Potter cannon and use researched facts, so it takes a bit of time. Plus schools been killer. Seriously killer. Here is the new chapter though. I'm not promising next week, I already passed up homework to do this one, but I promise two weeks at the most, and it WILL be long long long like his one is. PLEASE REVIEW**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

Chapter 6: Impasto and Anger

I was up at 5:00 in the morning. Sure I'd always been an early riser, but at Beauxbatons, where classes started at 10:00 in the morning, early riser had meant 7:00. I woke up each morning to paint before the rest of the world woke. It gave me the feeling I could face my day. This morning I was at by my amazing bedside window, mixing heavy paint. I was thinking of doing an impasto piece, a piece with heavy brush-strokes, Vangogh style painting. I liked impasto on days when I had an angry feeling in the pit of my stomach, which I only got from injustice. I wasn't the type to anger, sure I'd get sad if you insulted me, but unless you treated someone else with injustice, I never got much angry. Last night I'd heard my entire race discriminated against, though it was nothing I hadn't heard before, and it made me want to paint heavy heavy heavy impact.

I mixed colors for a full two hours, I didn't even get around to priming my canvas before I had to get ready. I pulled the robes I had piled at the end of my bed, sighing as I noticed they already had paint stains on the hem. I slipped them on and ran my fingers through my hair, pulling tights on and then my uniform skirt. I had already put the blouse on as my nighty had started annoying me. I undid my curtains and peered out into the dark dorm. Ginny was brushing her hair, she smiled wide when she saw me. "Gabi!" she said happily. "Ready to start your first classes at Hogwarts? We get schedules at breakfast. Then you'll be an official Hogwarts student." Ginny was babbling, which was normally only something she did when she had eaten too much sugar. She probably wanted to start classes as much as I did.

Ginny and I dressed and head down into the common room. I had hoped to run into some other friends, but they had apparently went to breakfast already, so we went straight to the dining hall. Ginny showed me my first trick staircase on the way to breakfast, and I tried to remember the exact way it moved, but I worried I'd forget it next time. I was never good with that kind of thing, my head shoved so far up into the clouds I'd fall right off a cliff if one was in the way.

When we reached the Hall I looked across it and waved to CJ and Ria. We had our own form of sign-language, the kind only childhood friends could have, and I quickly sent them a good luck and a I love you. They responded with the like and I hurried after Ginny to sit with Harry and the others. Professor McGonagall was now moving along the table handing out timetables.

'Look at today!' groaned Ron. 'History of Magic, double Potions,

Divination and double Defence Against the Dark Arts . . . Binns, Snape, Trelawney and that Umbridge woman all in one day! I wish Fred and George'd hurry up and get those Skiving Snackboxes sorted . . ."

'Do mine ears deceive me?' said Fred, arriving with George and squeezing on to the bench George sat besides Harry, but Fred went right to my side. For some reason this made me feel a little warmth in my stomach. 'Hogwarts prefects surely don't wish to skive off lessons?'

'Look what we've got today,' said Ron grumpily, shoving his timetable under Fred's nose. 'That's the worst Monday I've ever seen.'

'Fair point, little bro,' said Fred, scanning the column. 'You can have a bit of Nosebleed Nougat cheap if you like.'

'Why's it cheap?' said Ron suspiciously.

'Because you'll keep bleeding till you shrivel up, we haven't got an antidote yet,' said George, helping himself to a kipper.

'Cheers,' said Ron moodily, pocketing his timetable, 'but I think I'll take the lessons.'

'And speaking of your Skiving Snackboxes,' said Hermione, eyeing Fred and George beadily, 'you can't advertise for testers on the Gryffindor noticeboard.'

'Says who?' said George, looking astonished.

'Says me,' said Hermione. 'And Ron.'

'Leave me out of it,' said Ron hastily.

Hermione glared at him. Fred and George sniggered. I had asked Fred and George all about the boxes quite a while ago, and I thought they were brilliant. They had asked me to do cover art for the box covers.

'You'll be singing a different tune soon enough, Hermione,' said Fred, thickly buttering a crumpet. 'You're starting your fifth year, you'll be begging us for a Snackbox before long.'

'And why would starting fifth year mean I want a Skiving Snackbox?' asked Hermione.

'Fifth year's OWL year,' said George. I hoped fourth year wasn't so bad, and after all I'd be taking OWL DADA so perhaps I should worry this year.

'So?'

'So you've got your exams coming up, haven't you? They'll be keeping your noses so hard to that grindstone they'll be rubbed raw,' said Fred with satisfaction.

'Half our year had minor breakdowns coming up to OWLs,' said George happily. Tears and tantrums . . . Patricia Stimpson kept coming over faint . . .'

'Kenneth Towler came out in boils, d'you remember?' said Fred remmiscently.

That's 'cause you put Bulbadox powder in his pyjamas,' said George.

'Oh yeah,' said Fred, grinning. 'I'd forgotten . . . hard to keep track sometimes, isn't it?'

'Anyway, it's a nightmare of a year, the fifth,' said George. 'If you care about exam results, anyway. Fred and I managed to keep our peckers up somehow.'

'Yeah . . . you got, what was it, three OWLs each?' said Ron.

'Yep,' said Fred unconcernedly. 'But we feel our futures lie outside the world of academic achievement.'

'We seriously debated whether we were going to bother coming back for our seventh year,' said George brightly, 'now that we've got-

He broke off at a warning look from Harry, and I observed them curiously.

' - now that we've got our OWLs,' George said hastily. 'I mean, do we really need NEWTs? But we didn't think Mum could take us leaving school early not on top of Percy turning out to be the world's biggest prat.'

We're not going to waste our last year here, though,' said Fred, looking affectionately around at the Great Hall. 'We're going to use it to do a bit of market research, find out exactly what the average Hogwarts student requires from a joke shop, carefully evaluate the results of our research, then produce products to fit the demand.'

'But where are you going to get the gold to start a joke shop?' Hermione asked sceptically. 'You're going to need all the ingredients and materials - and premises too, I suppose . . .'

'Ask us no questions and we'll tell you no lies, Hermione. C'mon, George, if we get there early we might be able to sell a few Extendable Ears before Herbology."

'What did that mean?' said Hermione, looking from Harry to . ' "Ask us no questions . . ." Does that mean they've already got some gold to start a joke shop?'

'You know, I've been wondering about that,' said Ron, his brow furrowed. 'They bought me a new set of dress robes this summer and I couldn't understand where they got the Galleons . . .'

Harry still looked a bit awkward, and he quickly changed the subject.

'D'you reckon it's true this year's going to be really tough? Because of the exams?'

'Oh, yeah,' said Ron. 'Bound to be, isn't it? OWLs are really important, affect the jobs you can apply for and everything. We get career advice, too, later this year, Bill told me. So you can choose what NEWTs you want to do next year.'

'D'you know what you want to do after Hogwarts?' Harry asked the other two, as they left the Great Hall shortly afterwards and set off towards their History of Magic classroom.

'Not really,' said Ron slowly. 'Except . . . well . . .'

He looked slightly sheepish.

What?' Harry urged him.

Well, it'd be cool to be an Auror,' said Ron in an off-hand voice. I nodded along with him. Course I wanted to be a painter and hopefully a healer, but an Auror was a really cool.

'Yeah, it would,' said Harry fervently.

'But they're, like, the elite,' said Ron. 'You've got to be really good. What about you, Hermione?'

'I don't know,' she said. 'I think I'd like to do something really worthwhile.'

'An Aurors worthwhile!' said Harry.

'Yes, it is, but it's not the only worthwhile thing,' said Hermione thoughtfully, 'I mean, if I could take SPEW further . . .' Hermione trailed off and focused on Hinny and I for the first time. "Hey what do you have?" she asked curiously. "Bad as ours?"

"Double Potions first, then Transfiguration, then I have DADA with you of course, that's while Ginny's got Divination. Then I have double care of Magical Creatures" I told them. "No History of Magic today" from what I'd been told about the class that was a blessing.

"Not bad for our first day eh Gabrielle?" Ginny stuck her tongue out at her the others, who were still grimacing at there own schedules.

We all headed off to start our days, Ginny leading me to the dungeon. I couldn't really believe they had a dungeon here. At Beauxbatons castle it was all windows and fancy furniture. The classroom Ginny led me to was scary. While I had loved Hogwarts architecture so far, being anywhere in closed and dark scared me deeply. Turns out the room wasn't what I needed to be scared of. The door slammed open and I noticed everyone snap to attention as a dark greasy looking man marched inside. He had a cruel expression on his face and he moved with such a harshness it frightened me. Ginny seemed to notice as she squeezed my hand. I squeezed back and smiled. Unfortunately, the professor saw the smile.

"Glad to see our new student is already amused. Hopefully potions remain so funny to her when she must brew an antidote to save someone's life" he glared at me and I looked down at my feet. His cruelty was entirely unnecessary. "Today we'll be mixing the draught of Dancing" I almost clapped my hands. I used to brew that I Fleur when I was young, it made the drinker dance like a skilled Ballerina. We would mix it and then spin around the house for hours and hours. I knew how to make it with my eyes closed. I'd be able to impress Snape, whose name I knew from the Order, but I'd never seen before today. He really was as greasy as I'd been told.

I got my ingredients out and started to mix and pour. I didn't even look at the board. When I was getting it to a simmer and it was turning a perfect pink color, Snape made his way to our table. "Delacour, I know you're Fench" he spat the word "but I was told you were fluent in English"

"Umm I am" I said unsure of myself.

"Well that's odd as I haven't seen you look at the board once, and you aren't following instructions" he looked at me down his hook nose.

"I made Zis first when I waz five" I said, lapsing into my accent as I became nervous. "I, eh, did not need zee instructions" he seemed to get angrier of that was possible.

"How arrogant, how typically spoiled french princess. You know the best way to teach my class Miss Delacour? Try this potion why don't you? I've seen what you've been doing. I have a beazor on hand if you're worried. You shan't poison yourself to death" he said. Ginny and all the other Gryffindors, even the ones who'd been mean to me the previous night, drew in a gasp of fear.

"Professor you can't she could get hurt" Ginny pleaded.

"Keep your mouth shut Weasley, she's made her own bed" I just looked at him and shrugged, stirred my potion a last time. Then I poured some into a beaker and smiled before I took a hearty swig. I knew I hadn't done a thing wrong, and I was right.

Seconds later I was spinning around the classroom, pirouetting and leaping like there was no tomorrow. More graceful then I could ever ever be without the potion. Snape's eyes flashed furiously and he quickly took ten points from Gryffindor, but the expression on Ginny's smiling face was so so worth it.

...

"You just should have seen it!" Ginny exclaimed. We were at lunch and she had already told the story of potions class to all who would listen. "Snape's face was priceless!" everyone was roaring with laughter. Snape had tried to poison me and ended up the fool, of course I'd unfortunately gotten a new enemy, but it was worth it. I looked up at the clock in the Hall and turned to my lugging friends.

"Are you guys gonna show me how to get to DADA or what, lunch is almost over" I said smiling. Hermione jumped up.

"Right you are" she exclaimed. "I cant wait to see what's up with this Umbridge woman."

"She seems prissier than my mother, I'm not looking forward to this" I groaned. This might be the kind of class where my notebook would turn into a doodle sketchbook. Harry nodded in agreement, but we all got up to make the walk to Umbridge's classroom, waving bye to Ginny. "Hey guys, can Ria and CJ sit with us at dinner?" I asked the three best friends as we walked.

"Course" Harry grinned. Ron, who had some trouble around Veela girls, looked a bit apprehensive, but his kindness won out over his fear of over-lusting I suppose, because he smiled and nodded that the or Veela and Ceej could join us.

When we entered the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom we found Professor Umbridge already seated at the teachers desk, wearing the fluffy pink cardigan of the night before and the black velvet bow on top of her head. I was reminded forcibly of a large fly perched unwisely on top of an even larger toad.

The class was quiet as it entered the room; Professor Umbridge was, as yet, an unknown quantity and nobody knew how strict a disciplinarian she was likely to be.

'Well, good afternoon!' she said, when finally the whole class had sat down.

A few people mumbled 'good afternoon' in reply.

'Tut, tut,' said Professor Umbridge. 'That won't do, now, will it? I should like you, please, to reply "Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge". One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!'

'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge,' everyone chanted back at her, I mouthed the words. My rebellious side making it a bit impossible to follow the instructions of such an annoying woman.

There, now,' said Professor Umbridge sweetly. That wasn't too difficult, was it? Wands away and quills out, please.'

Many of the class exchanged gloomy looks; the order 'wands away' was clearly not a favored one at Hogwarts. I had been hoping for a practical lesson as well I must admit. Professor Umbridge opened her handbag, extracted her own wand, which was an unusually short one, and tapped the blackboard sharply with it; words appeared on the board at once:

Defence Against the Dark Arts

A Return to Basic Principles

'Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?' stated Professor Umbridge, turning to face the class with her hands clasped neatly in front of her. The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your OWL year.

'You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory-centred, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following, please.'

She rapped the blackboard again; the first message vanished and was replaced by the 'Course Aims'.

the principles underlying defensive magic.

to recognise situations in which defensive magic can legally

he used

the use of defensive magic in a context for practical use.

For a couple of minutes the room was full of the sound of scratching quills on parchment. When everyone had copied down Professor Umbridge's three course aims she asked, 'Has everybody got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?'

There was a dull murmur of assent throughout the class. I was frowning hard, I had had a pretty standard education, albeit a high-class one, and I was far beyond this point. I assumed the Hogwarts students must know much more than this as well.

'I think we'll try that again,' said Professor Umbridge. 'When I ask you a question, I should like you to reply, "Yes, Professor Umbridge", or "No, Professor Umbridge'. So: has everyone got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?'

'Yes, Professor Umbridge,' rang through the room.

'Good,' said Professor Umbridge. I should like you to turn to page five and read "Chapter One, Basics for Beginners". There will be no need to talk.'

Professor Umbridge left the blackboard and settled herself in the chair behind the teacher's desk, observing them all closely with those pouchy toad's eyes. I turned to page five of his copy of Defensive Magical Theory and started to read.

It was desperately dull, and quite easy. I knew it all,it was mostly just beginners theory, even some stuff on how to hold ones wand. I doodled a picture of a toad in the margin. I also noticed that Hermione had not even opened her copy of Defensive Magical Theory. She was staring fixedly at Professor Umbridge with her hand in the air.

Hermione ever neglecting to read when instructed to, or indeed resisting the temptation to open any book that came under her nose was a shocking thing. We looked at her enquiringly, but she merely shook her head slightly to indicate that she was not about to answer questions, and continued to stare at Professor Umbridge, who was looking just as resolutely in another direction.

After several more minutes had passed, however, us friends were not the only ones watching Hermione. The chapter they had been instructed to read was so tedious that more and more people were choosing to watch Hermione's mute attempt to catch Professor Umbridge's eye rather than struggle on with 'Basics for Beginners'.

When more than half the class were staring at Hermione rather than at their books, Professor Umbridge seemed to decide that she could ignore the situation no longer.

'Did you want to ask something about the chapter, dear?' she asked Hermione, as though she had only just noticed her.

'Not about the chapter, no,' said Hermione.

'Well, we're reading just now,' said Professor Umbridge, showing her small pointed teeth. 'If you have other queries we can deal with them at the end of class.'

'I've got a query about your course aims,' said Hermione.

Professor Umbridge raised her eyebrows.

'And your name is?'

'Hermione Granger,' said Hermione.

'Well, Miss Granger, I think the course aims are perfectly clear if you read them through carefully' said Professor Umbridge in a voice of determined sweetness.

'Well, I don't,' said Hermione bluntly. There's nothing written up there about using defensive spells.'

There was a short silence in which many members of the class turned their heads to frown at the three course aims still written on the blackboard.

'Using defensive spells?' Professor Umbridge repeated with a little laugh. 'Why, I can't imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell, Miss Granger. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class?'

'We're not going to use magic?' Ron exclaimed loudly.

'Students raise their hands when they wish to speak in my class, Mr - ?'

'Weasley,' said Ron, thrusting his hand into the air.

Professor Umbridge, smiling still more widely, turned her back or. him. Harry and Hermione immediately raised their hands too. Professor Umbridge's pouchy eyes lingerec. on Harry for a moment before she addressed Hermione.

'Yes, Miss Granger? You wanted to ask something else?'

'Yes,' said Hermione. 'Surely the whole point of Defence Against the Dark Arts is to practise defensive spells?'

'Are you a Ministry-trained educational expert, Miss Granger?' asked Professor Umbridge, in her falsely sweet voice.

'No, but - '

'Well then, I'm afraid you are not qualified to decide what the "whole point" of any class is. Wizards much older and cleverer than you have devised our new programme of study. You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way - '

'What use is that?' said Harry loudly. 'If we're going to be attacked, it won't be in a - '

'Hand, Mr Potter!' sang Professor Umbridge.

I felt the need to speak up at this point. "Professor, my father is rather well schooled in Ministry policy, and he thinks using practical practice is the most important aspect" I said smiling to myself at knowing more than the woman. I don't actually hate easily, but I have a rebellious streak a mile long, and when someone incites that, they better watch it.

"Hand please, and may I ask who your father is?" she was looking at me with even more distaste then she had looked at Harry with. Jealousy stood out strong in her eyes.

"I'm Gabrielle Delacour, my father is Alain Delacour, Minister of Magic of France" I said proudly, though it was unlike me to throw around my fathers position. Not that I wasn't naturally a bit proud of his ambition and intelligence and the amazing job it had gleaned him.

"Alain Delacour? The man married to a Veela? You must be Veela then?" she looked at me loathingly. "French culture has odd views on many things, not jsut education, half breeds for instance" I almost screamed with anger, Harry seemed to light up with hate as well.

Harry thrust his fist in the air. Again, Professor Umbridge promptly turned away from him, but now several other people had their hands up, too.

'And your name is?' Professor Umbridge said to Dean.

'Dean Thomas.'

'Well, Mr Thomas?'

'Well, it's like Harry said, isn't it?' said Dean. 'If we're going to be attacked, it won't be risk free.'

'I repeat,' said Professor Umbridge, smiling in a very irritating fashion at Dean, 'do you expect to be attacked during my classes?'

'No, but - '

"You should expect to be" I muttered, she glared at me again.

Professor Umbridge talked over him. 'I do not wish to criticise the way things have been run in this school,' she said, an unconvincing smile stretching her wide mouth, 'but you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class, very irresponsible indeed - not to mention,' she gave a nasty little laugh, 'extremely dangerous half-breeds.' she glanced at me.

"Not half-breeds, wizards with magic blood" I growled.

'If you mean Professor Lupin,' piped up Dean angrily, 'he was the best we ever -

'Hand, Mr Thomas! As I was saying - you have been introduced to spells that have been complex, inappropriate to your age group and potentially lethal. You have been frightened into believing that you are likely to meet Dark attacks every other day - '

'No we haven't,' Hermione said, 'we just - '

'Your hand is not up, Miss Granger!'

Hermione put up her hand. Professor Umbridge turned away from her.

'It is my understanding that my predecessor not only performed illegal curses in front of you, he actually performed them on you.'

'Well, he turned out to be a maniac, didn't he?' said Dean hotly. 'Mind you, we still learned loads.'

'Your hand is not up, Mr Thomas!' trilled Professor Umbridge. 'Now, it is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be more than sufficient to get you through your examination, which, after all, is what school is all about. And your name is?' she added, staring at Parvati, whose hand had just shot up.

'Parvati Patil, and isn't there a practical bit in our Defence Against

the Dark Arts OWL? Aren't we supposed to show that we can actually do the counter-curses and things?'

As long as you have studied the theory hard enough, there is no reason why you should not be able to perform the spells under carefully controlled examination conditions,' said Professor Umbridge dismissively.

'Without ever practising them beforehand?' said Parvati incredulously. Are you telling us that the first time we'll get to do the spells will be during our exam?'

'I repeat, as long as you have studied the theory hard enough - '

And what good's theory going to be in the real world?' said Harry loudly, his fist in the air again.

Professor Umbridge looked up.

'This is school, Mr Potter, not the real world,' she said softly.

'So we're not supposed to be prepared for what's waiting for us out there?'

'There is nothing waiting out there, Mr Potter.'

'Oh, yeah?' said Harry. His temper, which seemed to have been bubbling just beneath the surface all day, was reaching boiling point.

'Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves?' enquired Professor Umbridge in a horribly honeyed voice.

'Hmm, let's think . . .' said Harry in a mock thoughtful voice. 'Maybe . . . Lord Voldemort?'

Ron gasped; Lavender Brown uttered a little scream; Neville slipped sideways off his stool. Professor Umbridge, however, did not flinch. She was staring at Harry with a grimly satisfied expression on her face. I leaned over and gave Harry a high five

'Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr Potter.'

The classroom was silent and still. Everyone was staring at either Umbridge or Harry.

'Now, let me make a few things quite plain.'

Professor Umbridge stood up and leaned towards them, her stubby-fingered hands splayed on her desk.

'You have been told that a certain Dark wizard has returned from the dead - '

'He wasn't dead,' said Harry angrily, 'but yeah, he's returned!'

'Mr-Potter-you-have-already-lost-your-house-ten-points-do-not-make-matters-worse-for-yourself,' said Professor Umbridge in one breath without looking at him. 'As I was saying, you have been informed that a certain Dark wizard is at large once again. This is a lie.'

'It is NOT a lie!' said Harry. 'I saw him, I fought him!'

That was too much for me. I actually got to my feet. "I don't know what the English ministry thinks about conducting a proper country, but in France we don't ignore the facts and let ignorant people like you teach classes. Voldemort is back, it's been made clear as day. Almost as clear as facts about how half-breeds are considered equal, learning spells by theory is stupid, and woman who wear too much pink a naturally annoying" I nearly yelled. Nobody here had seen me lose my temper before this. I normally kept three attitude cheery. But in France, with forward attitudes and an intelligent minister, things would never be conducted like this. Yes Britain was a forward thinking and amazing place, but the British minister and people like Umbridge were trying to stagnate progress and keep blood discrimination alive. In this wonderful accepting castle with talking armor and crazy ghosts, everything was being spoiled by a fat pink toad!

'Detention, Mr Potter and Miss Delacour you have a weeks detentions!' said Professor Umbridge triumphantly. "Tomorrow evening. Five o'clock. My office. I repeat, this is a lie. The Ministry of Magic guarantees that you are not in danger from any Dark wizard. If you are still worried, by all means come and see me outside class hours. If someone is alarming you with fibs about reborn Dark wizards, I would like to hear about it. I am here to help. I am your friend. And now, you will kindly continue your reading. Page five, "Basics for Beginners".'

Professor Umbridge sat down behind her desk. Harry, however, stood up as i was finally sitting down, realizing I'd said all i could for today. I'd stood up for justice and now i suppose Harry felt it was his turn. Everyone was staring at him; Seamus looked half-scared, half-fascinated.

'Harry, no!' Hermione whispered in a warning voice, tugging at his sleeve, but Harry jerked his arm out of her reach.

'So, according to you, Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord, did he?' Harry asked, his voice shaking.

There was a collective intake of breath from the class, for none of them, apart from Ron and Hermione, had ever heard Harry talk about what had happened on the night Cedric had died. They stared avidly from Harry to Professor Umbridge, who had raised her eyes and was staring at him without a trace of a fake smile on her face.

'Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident,' she said coldly.

'It was murder,' said Harry. He could feel himself shaking. He had hardly spoken to anyone about this, least of all thirty eagerly listening classmates. 'Voldemort killed him and you know it.'

Professor Umbridge's face was quite blank. For a moment, Harry thought she was going to scream at him. Then she said, in her softest, most sweetly girlish voice, 'Come here, Mr Potter, dear.'

He kicked his chair aside, strode around Ron and Hermione and up to the teacher's desk. He could feel the rest of the class holding its breath. He felt so angry he did not care what happened next.

Professor Umbridge pulled a small roll of pink parchment out of her handbag, stretched it out on the desk, dipped her quill into a bottle of ink and started scribbling, hunched over so that Harry could not see what she was writing. Nobody spoke. After a minute or so she rolled up the parchment and tapped it with her wand; it sealed itself seamlessly so that he could not open it.

Take this to Professor McGonagall, dear,' said Professor Umbridge, holding out the note to him.

He took it from her without saying a word, turned on his heel and left the room. I swallowed hard, knowing that Harry'd soon be in as much trouble as me. Umbridge however, wasn't done with me. "Miss Delacour come here" Umbridge said sickly sweet. I gulped and walked up to her desk. "Listen her, I don't appreciate such disrespect in my classroom. You might be 'normal' in France, but to me you can't be more than a half-blood freak. I know how you Veela are, and if you do such a scene in my class again I'll see you on the next train to France" her cruel eyes glared at me as she offered a smile. Hate sank into my lungs, but with it was a mingled fear. I knew it was time to tread carefully, losing my temper again would get me nowhere, what help was yelling at his crazed woman. I nodded tersely and took my seat. Two enemies in one day, I sure hoped my next class went better. I'd already be painting the heaviest Impasto in the world tonight.


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay okay I know. I'm sorry. Sincerely sorry. You can all reserve the right to murder me. But junior year is hard! And school is time-consuming! Plus I do have some friends. So yes. I'm about two months **

**Late on an update, but please forgive and forget. I WILL be more timely in the future, and as a special treat I made this emote chapter original dialouge, nothing taken from HP itself. **

**Special note of thanks to Societycansuckit for such a wonderful review! My first one!**

**and to TillsyP for my second one and my first bit of criticism. It has been taken into account absolutely. I know I'm using a fair amount of book dialogue, but it's mostly to set the scene. It should die down very soon, and until then I'll keep working towards reducing it.**

**Disclaimer: I unfortunatley don't own Harry Potter.**

Chapter 7: Creatures

The wind whipped through my hair as I headed out towards my Care of Magical Creatures lesson. My body was frozen through, but inside I was still burning from my run-in with Umbridge. How dare she? How dare she be rude about Veela. She didn't know any except me I'd bet. The whole thing had me missing Fleur. If those things had been said in front of Fleur, Umbridge would be dead meat.

"so you seriously flipped out at her?" Ginny questioned for the millionth time.

"Yes. I mean hat was my choice?"

"It's just you're so sweet I can't imagine you pulling your daydreaming mind together long enough to get so angry. You're like a wild-child hippie almost, all peace and love and stuff"

"Yeah, well, I am both French and Veela. Much like red-heads, we have a reputation for temper" I gave a small laugh, letting my anger melt away a bit.

"Wonder what she'll have you doing in detention" Ginny mused. "Cleaning something nasty I'd bet"

"Back at Beauxbatons detentions were nothing more than writing lines" I informed her, feeling nervousness creeping on. What was the Hogwarts detention policy?

"Don't worry, Hogwarts would never make students do anything actually bad, just occasionally they have us clean or something" she laughed, then her eyes darkened. "Though I don't know about this Umbridge character,she's not exactly keeping with the spirit of Hogwarts." her eyes suddenly went wide. "look"

I followed the direction of her eyes and saw a woman standing in the distance, with her was my second favorite type of magical creature. Second to Phoenixes in my book were Unicorns. I took off in a run, a smile spreading over my face. Unicorns loved me, actually most creatures did, probably something about Veela blood, they didn't like Fleur or Maman though. I think because they weren't in any way in touch with nature, where I spent days wandering around in the woods and beaches near our mansion.

I reached the unicorn and it instantly walked over and stuck its nose to me. I petted it lightly, then stroked the mane. It was just a baby, still golden. The professor watched curiously. "Unicorns aren't normally so trusting" she remarked. "by chance are you part Veela?" I smiled at the woman, who'd been kind enough to ask. What most just assumed.

"Yes" I said, still focused on stroking the colt's golden fur. Ginny had caught up by this point and was watching slightly apprehensively.

"Unicorns have a love of Veela. Something fragile, beautiful, and hunted. Much like themselves." I let the woman's words sink in. Fragile, beautiful, and hunted. What a marvelous description. Sometimes I swore words could be more beautiful than even paints. There's such an art to speaking, even just in making sound. You are turning noise and making something with it, creating masterpieces with nothing more than letters, and other worlds with only sentences. I suppose words are also fragile, beautiful, and hunted.

"Can... Can I pet one?" Ginny asked. Her normally quite brave face looked nervous.

"Sure" I answered for the teacher, what was her name again?Grubby Planks? Horrible name really. "just put your hand out, she'll sniff it, pet the nose briefly, then o on to the mane. No fast movements." other students had started filtering in, many were watching us with fascination. I could tell they were anxious to try petting the majestic creature themselves. I stepped back about and gestures for them to come forward. "Give it a go" I said, and girls crowded in. "Boys will want to approach more cautiously" I suggested. The colt followed after where I'd stepped and nuzzled me as the other students petted its golden coat.

"Well Miss Delacour, you must be a unicorn expert" Grubbyplanks noted.

"Well my home in France is on the seaside right near Singe forest, one of the last mythical forests, much like the one here at Hogwarts. We always have unicorns roaming about, so I did my research."

"Well it's wonderful, I love nothing more than a prepared student" I smiled. I looked back at Ginny, and noticed that Diana, Emma, and Gina were standing behind her, looking both at me and at the unicorn. Diana had a glare in her eyes as if she'd been hoping I'd get into trouble in this class like all the others. I realized long ago that I'll never quite understand why people hate me when I offer only kindness. Is beauty really such a sin? Or is there something horribly wrong with me that I just don't know? Are Maman and Fleur right that I'm just too wild and unmannered to fit in?

"Gabi this is so cool, I can't believe you have these in your yard" Ginny gushed excitedly. This was the first real glimpse at Ginny's girly side I'd gotten, though I suppose she didn't have too much occasion to drag it out with all those brothers around. But here she was acting like a little girl with a new doll. It made me smile.

"I'm sure you can come see them sometime, I mean you let me stay with you, I must repay the favor" I giggled at her excited face. Truth was I'd adore having Ginny, or any of my new friends, over. I loved people, no good reason for it but I just liked being with others. Well so long as they let me paint in peace when I needed. My house was never lonely, Ria and Ceej we're literally always there. CJ ate more food from our fridge then Maman and Fleur combined. Ria's TV shows took up the majority of our recordings. Yes we have a TV and the such, living in the wizarding world does not, well at least in France, mean living in the 1800's. Even with Ria and Ceej around though, I could always do with more people. Laughter is like fuel, it makes life worth living, the more people the more laughter.

"No offense Gabrielle but you probably should be more careful about unicorns, I mean they might decide to stop liking you and you might get impaled" Diana says all sickly fake concern. Her smile plastered on. "Don't want to rely on prettiness for everything, I mean unicorns are wild creatures"

"I don't think they like me because of looks at all. I'm a mess compared to my momma and sister. I just spent time gaining there trust" I informed her, puzzled at her weird backhanded suggestions. I turned back towards the unicorn and clicked my tongue. He came right over to me, much to the dismay of e girls who had been petting him. "Does he have a name?" I asked Grubbyplanks, she shook her head.

"Haven't thought one up yet. Any suggestions?" I nodded excitedly and bounced up and down.

"Oui! I mean yes! Name him Deciembre. Deci for short, it means december."

"Why December?" Ginny asked curiously, still petting the animal.

"It's a pretty month, I don't know did I need a reason?" I asked puzzled. She laughed and shook her head.

"Deciembre it is I suppose." Grubbyplanks smiled. I clapped my hands together happily. Until I heard a whisper behind me.

"God she's like a five year old. So excited about everything" Gina said under breath to Diana. They both laughed. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. Couldn't they leave me alone? We all have flaws, I'm allowed to be excitable. I let Deciembre nuzzle against my side as I stared out at the forbidden forest, the trees swayed in the wind. Wondered how much trouble I'd get in of sneaking in to explore the place, course I already had a detention with Umbridge to worry about anyway.

...

I looked at Harry with nervous eyes. He smiled and patted my hand. "I'm sure she'll have us doing lines or something easy Gabi" he assured me before bravely knocking on Umbridge's door. She sung it open instantly, an excited smile spreading across her face.

"Ah well isn't this lovely. Mr Potter wait here, Miss Delacour if you'd accompany me to the classroom to do your punishment. Don't want any unnecessary chatting" she chuckled and I suppressed a glare. I followed after her into the room and sat in the first desk. I crossed my legs in the lady-like way I'd seen Fluer and Maman do, hoping to seem like I was above silly punishments. Even when we were little Fleur had never been punished. I'd be sat in time out for hours on end but Fleur was above it all. Even when she did something wrong, she never got caught. Seriously compared to my sister I seemed like the devil himself. Here I was dropping Maman's best China while Fleur was innocently reading her history text. "Miss Delacour you'll be writing lines for me today. With a special pen of mine" her eyes were malicious as she pulled an old looking pen out of her robes and handed it to me along with a peice of long parchment.

"Could I have some ink?" I asked as disinterestedly as I could. She just laughed.

"You'll find you don't need any, just wrote until I come to get you, I'd like you to write: I must not tell lies" she said cryptically. I rolled my eyes as she left to go back to Harry. I set the quill to the paper and began working. I was lost in a daydream in my own head, so I hardly noticed the pain until the second line. Then I dropped the pen and screamed. Scratches had appeared on my skin in the form of my own handwriting: I must not tell lies.

I immediately stood to leave the room, I needed to tell Fleur and Papa immediately. They'd see to it she was sent out of Britian. I walked to the door and pulled on the handle. It didn't budge. I banged on it, yelling for help. "Yes?" Umbridge's sickening voice called.

"Let me out. This is unexceptable. In France we have laws against punishments like this!" I said angrily. Her laugh tinkled through.

"Oh deary me, well I'm not opening this door until you've written what I said 200 times, that should be enough for the message to... Sink in" she laughed again. "I don't like these methods any more than you do dear, but we can't have troublemakers telling lies at Hogwarts. I'm sure the ministry mail regulators would feel just the same" she laughed again. Sunk to the floor in disbelief. She was going to force us to mutilate ourselfs, in a way that would leave lasting scars. And there was nothing we could do becuase the ministry was commandeering Hogwarts and watching the mail. I moved back to the desk and picked up the quill with new determination. I began writing a new message which appeared on my hand a bit farther up than the original. It was a very cleverly bewitched quill.

"Speak up for justice" I wrote instead, carving the words into myself as a reminder. I wrote them 200 times and then called for Umbridge. It was late at this point, and I was tired but determined. She took one look at my arm and slammed the door shut again. I smiled, knowing I had beaten her. I went back and copied "I must not tell lies" 200 times. I looked at the fresh bleeding patches on my hand. Both messages were worth living, I supposed. Umbridge would only win if we let her win. As I left that night I turned to her as she watched me walk away. "Voldemort is back, you know" I said matter of factly. She opened her mouth to reply, but I held up my hand and pointed to the little red letters. I must not tell lies.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: So i'm in photography class and I'm hoping to write this while the teacher critiques photos. This chapter may very well be cut off midway through but at least it's something. I know there's been a lot of mistakes in previous chapters with spelling and grammar, and some awkward autocorrections. I don't have a beta and don't always proofread so I'm sorry. I will try to correct previous chapters as soon as possible, but my time is more focused on writing you new stuff!**

**Disclaimer: If you haven't realized yet, I genuinely don't own Harry Potter**

**Chapter 8: Touching Clouds**

I was shaking as I crept back into the dorm. Ginny was sound asleep and I had no interest in waking her. I didn't want to speak to Ginny, or to any of the other girls in my dorm. I wanted Ria. Ria who held my hand when I had my tonsils removed. Ria who cried whenever I cried just because. I wanted the girl who would whisper to me in french hat absolutley everything would be okay. I should have gone to ravenclaw. So I did the only thing I could think to do, I left my dorm room only seconds after I'd entered. I hopped down the steps of the dormitory and raced across the commen room. Then up the steps to the boys dorm.

I located Harry's dorm quickly and knocked on the door. I knew he probably hadn't been able to sleep either. I was right. The door swung open and i looked at his bloody hand. He looked at mine. "I need to see Ria" I broke the silence that stood between us like a veil, wrapping around our tongues and sewing our lips. How do you comunicate with someone who can acutely feel the pain you're trying to recover from.

"You want the cloak" he stated, knowing why I'd come instantly. I nodded. I had been told about the cloak when we were trying to spy on an Order meeting over the summer. "How are you going to get into the commen room?" he asked casually as he fetched the invisibility cloak from his trunk. Ron was snoring loudly from his bed, it made me smile that through everything that happened Ron kept on snoring.

"Ria told me i just have to answer a riddle. Shouldn't be too hard, I love riddles"

"Hey Gabi?" he called after he handed me the cloak and I was turning to leave. "Why did you write those extra?" he grabbed my hand and traced the lines. "That's certainly not what Umbridge said to write." he yawned as he spoke, his eyes bleary and tired. Poor Harry had the world against him, and I realized how much he needed his friends. I pulled my hand away and smiled.

"Because it was what's right. and you can't win this war without friends" I said before slipping on the cloak and heading out the door.

...

The Halls seemed trecherous at night. During the day they seemed alive, so much laughter from both the students and the paintings. All those suits of armor clanking about like big metal gits. It was weird that i was completely invisible in the darkened halls with the cloak slipped over me, but in the isolation I felt as though I was under a spotlight. I headed in the direction Ria had told me to. I was scared I'd get lost and end up waiting to be found by students the next morning. Hogwarts was so large.

I managed to locate the entrance to the commen room and I sighed in releif. I knocked on the door. I shouldn't have been surprised, but still I jumped when the knocker spoke back to me. "I'll tell you a riddle, what always ends everything?" i thought for a moment. My first answer was death, but death didn't end everything. Riddles were never what you thought anyway.

"The letter G" I said proud of my answer. The door swung open.

"Congradulations" th door sung at me. I smiled and headed towards what, in the Gryffindor common room was the girls staricase.; i was hoping it would be much the same for the ravenclaws, and that the fourth year dorms would be the same place as well. I ran up the steps and slowly crept into what I prayed was the right room.

I saw Ria's sleeping form, she was huddled under the covers, chewing on the sleeve of her nightgown, which she'd always done. I crept to her and shook her lightly. "Ria?" I whispered. She stirred and groaned a bit. Her eyes fluttered open and focused on my face.

"Brie?" she questioned, her voice soft and innocent. None of the Ria bravado or humor could be slapped on so soon after she'd woken.

"Can we talk?" I asked, pulling her hand. She sat up and allowed herslef to be pulled out of bed. I led her to the common room. We trailed down the stairs and into the blue and silver room. "Beautiful" I remarked as we sat in a window seat. Ria didn't respond, just stared at me in concern.

"What's up Brie?" she asked. I lost it. I started crying and Ria pulled me into her lap and stroked my hair. "Shh" she comforted "it's okay Brie" I held oiut my hand to her. It was shaking and still bloody. Ria gasped and pulled my hand closer. "lumos" she muttered, lighting her wand to get a closer look. "Brie who the hell... Umbridge?"

I nodded. "She only made me write the "I must not tell lies" I whispered between tears. "I needed something to stand for" and she nodded like she understood as I cried into her hair.

"We'll get her Brie. A prank or something. We'll do something. like at BEauxbatons when someone was a bitch. We'll do something" when Ria got determined she was likely to destroy entire nations in her warpath, especially if she was protecting someone she loved. Especially if that someone was me. Ria and CJ were closer to me than I was to myself. We finished each others sentances, cried with each others tears, screamed with each others screams. We were connected always, like split up siamese twins.

"Can we get Ceej?" i asked, wiping my eyes. Ria nodded and ran up towards what must be his dorm. a minute later they returned. He rushed over immediatley and grabbed my hand. His face hardened and I momentarily feared for Umbridge's life.

"Oh we'll get her alright" Ria smiled, looking at the anger on CJ's face. "She doesn't even know what's coming.

...

Hermione opened the paper and disappeared behind it. Harry devoted himself to another helping of eggs and bacon. Ron was staring up at the high windows, looking slightly preoccupied. I was trying not to fall asleep in my porrige. I had slept in this morning, but still I was tired after the night I had.

'Wait a moment,' said Hermione suddenly. 'Oh no . . . Sirius!'

'What's happened?' said Harry, snatching at the paper so violently it ripped down the middle, with him and Hermione each holding one half.

' "The Ministry of Magic has received a tip-off from a reliable source that Sirius Black, notorious mass murderer . . . blah blah blah . . .is currently hiding in London!" ' Hermione read from her half in an anguished whisper. I gasped.

'Lucius Malfoy, I'll bet anything,' said Harry in a low, furious voice. 'He did recognise Sirius on the platform . . .'

What?' said Ron, looking alarmed. 'You didn't say - '

'Shh!' the rest of us said

'. . . "Ministry warns wizarding community that Black is very dangerous . . . killed thirteen people . . . broke out of Azkaban . . ." the usual rubbish,' Hermione concluded, laying down her half of the paper and looking fearfully at Harry and Ron. 'Well, he just won't be able to leave the house again, that's all,' she whispered. 'Dumbledore did warn him not to.'

Harry looked down glumly at the bit of the Prophet he had torn off. Most of the page was devoted to an advertisement for Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, which was apparently having a sale.

'Hey!' he said, flattening it down so Hermione and Ron could see it. 'Look at this!'

'I've got all the robes I want,' said Ron 'No,' said Harry. 'Look . . . this little piece here . . ." Ron and Hermione bent closer to read it; the item was barely an inch long and placed right at the bottom of a column. It was headlined:

TRESPASS AT MINISTRY

Sturgis Podmore, 38, of number two, Laburnum Gardens, Clapham, has appeared in front of the Wizcngamot charged with trespass and attempted robbery at the Ministry of Magic on 31" August. Podmore was arrested by Ministry of Magic watchwizard Eric Munch, who found him attempting to force his way through a top-security door at one o'clock in the morning. Podmore, who refused to speak, in his own defence, was convicted on both charges and sentenced to six months in Azkaban.

'Sturgis Podmore?' said Ron slowly. 'He's that bloke who looks like his head's been thatched, isn't he? He's one of the Ord-

'Ron, shhl' said Hermione, casting a terrified look around us. Fred and George hadn't showed up at breakfast, and Ginny was working on Herbology homework that I had finished already in a fit of insomnia. So the four of us were alone. I caught Ria's eye and smiled, letting her know I was doing okay, before turning back to my new riends.

'Six months in Azkaban!' whispered Harry, shocked. 'Just for trying to get through a door!'

'Don't be silly, it wasn't just for trying to get through a door. What on earth was he doing at the Ministry of Magic at one o'clock in the morning?' breathed Hermione.

D'you reckon he was doing something for the Order?' Ron muttered.

'Wait a moment . . .' said Harry slowly. 'Sturgis was supposed to come and see us off, remember?'

We looked at him.

'Yeah, he was supposed to be part of our guard going to King's Cross, remember? And Moody was all annoyed because he didn't turn up; so he couldn't have been on a job for them, could he?'

'Well, maybe they didn't expect him to get caught,' said Hermione.

'It could be a frame-up!' Ron exclaimed excitedly. 'No - listen!' he went on, dropping his voice dramatically at the threatening look on Hermione's face. The Ministry suspects he's one of Dumbledore's lot so - I dunno - they lured him to the Ministry, and he wasn't trying to get through a door at all! Maybe they've just made something up to get him!'

There was a pause while Harry and Hermione considered this. Harry thought it seemed far-fetched. Hermione, on the other hand, looked rather impressed.

'Do you know, I wouldn't be at all surprised if that were true.'

"It happened in France once, probably 15 years ago. This corrupt emplyee tried to frame the entire department of mysteries as harbouring trechorous secrets, which of course they do harbour but that's nessesary. The head of the department was going to be sent to prison, but they caught the framer."

"What's French prison like?" Ron asked curiously. I shrugged.

"A normal prison, just lots of gaurds and no wands. We don't use dementors, perhaps we'd have less breakouts if we did, but my father is much like Dumbledore, and knows that dementoers are inherantly evil."

Hermione folded up her half of the newspaper thoughtfully. As Harry laid down his knife and fork, she seemed to come out of a reverie.

'Right, well, I think we should tackle that essay for Sprout on self-fertilising shrubs first and if we're lucky we'll be able to start McGonagall's Inanimatus Conjurus Spell before lunch . . .' Hermione suggested. Harry Ron and I looked at each other awkwardly.

"Umm, we promised Gabi we'd help her learn the basics of quidditch" Harry hedged awkwardly. Hermione rolled her eyes.

...

Harry and I were both wearing gloves, not sure why but we had somehow agreed that we were keeping our hands a secret. He was carrying his fire bolt and I had a Nimbus 2000 that my daddy had sent me. I had flown before, but never tried quidditch. Flying was one of my favorite things in the world. It was so freeing, like touching the sky. Once when I was young I had flown too high, away from my mothers worried shouts. I had gone up and up and up and up until I had ran my fingers through a low-flying cloud. It was so beautiful. Like a misty pillow.

Now I'm a good flyer. I know I am. I mean I'm not like Harry, I could never be like Harry. I can't do that whole paying enough attention to cathc the snitch thing. But I can manuver a broom on par with him. I don't have the skills to play quidditch though, and that quickly becomes clear. The first time Ron threw the quaffle at me I doged out of the way. Did the dodge perfectly, but was terrified to go near the ball. I nearly wet myself. AFter about twenty minutes of failure, Harry and Ron decided to practice with each other and left me to whiz around on my broom. An hour latwer we were heading back to the dorms.

"You really are a good flyer Gabi, but you still can't play for shit" Ron laughed and I smacked him. They headed to lunch before they had to go to real quidditch practice, so I split ways with them. It was time for me to meet up with the people who would facilitate my revenge.


	9. Chapter 9

**Well it worked well last time so I again am posting a chapter from photography class. If you've obseved I'm moving father and farther from using JK Rowling dialouge. I'm mostly doing origional now. Anyone who loves Weasly Twin shenanigans will have fun with this chapter. remember: WWTWTD- what would the Weasly twins do?**

**Disclaimer: NO, I do not own Harry Potter, stop asking if I do, gawsh!**

**Reminder: This is not primarily a romance, it is primarily an adventure story, it just involves some romace**

**Chapter 9: Eggs and cupboards**

"So you need our help, huh?" Fred asked smugly. He was sitting in the common room, which I had snuck Ria and CJ into, and George was perched next to him. They had been bent over little boxes of sweets that I could easily identify as Skiving Snackboxes.

"Yes. We do" I nodded. Fred grabbed my hand and pulled off the gloves I was still wearing, He peered at the red skin, then held out his hand to me. Words were scribbled on his as well. "Trouble-maker, hmm she defined you pretty well" I laughed.

"I can't believe she did this to you. She's inasne, opff her rocker" George ranted.

"That's why we need your help" CJ said. "Brie says you're the best pranksters she's ever seen, and for obvious reasons, Ria and I are highly motivated to destroy Umbridge. We hoped you could join the fun"

"We'd never pass up a chance to help Gabbers. Fred smiled and ruffled my hair. I looked away from his blue eyes, feeling my cheeks blush pink. "But one condition"

Ria looked at him suspiciously "What?" she asked with trepedition.

"We were goping to ask her for this anyway" George answered, "But we need a design for the snackbox covers"

"Done" I agreed. "Planning time?" I sat on the ground and crossed my arms. Waiting for ideas. "We could blow up a toilet?" i suggested, remembering what the twins had said when we first met. Fred laughed.

"No. We need something more directly targetted at Umbridge. Who's good at potions because I have an idea" George spoke up. We all listenedclosely as he told us the plan.

...

We were essentially egging Umbridge. The egg potion, a favorite of pranksters everywhere. When someone ate it, eggs would be accio'd immediatley and pulled straight to the head of whoever injested it so long as they were close by. The potion, which we planned to slip to Umbridge at breakfast tuesday morning, took about an hour to go into affect. Which meant I would be sitting through her tortorous class when suddenly the three dozen eggs we stashed in the boom cuboard at the back of the classroom came flying sraight for her. We'd designed it so that I'd be there to see it.

"We need to meet in Myrtle's bathroom at 10 past curfew. We won't have a cloak so take the hallway with the bust of Pembrall and pray Peeves isnt around" Fred warned us as we all sat clumped together in front of a portrait of fruit. "We'll get the eggs and simple ingrediants, but we'll never get away with stealing from Snape. Ria's gotta do that during class while someone else makes a distraction."

"May I ask how you're getting the egg, and also why we're sitting in front of a painting of fruit?" I chimed in. Freds face lit up with his usual develish excitement and i felt my face flush again. Something about fred gave me a tickle in my stomach. When he laughed it was like my heart was jumping.

"Let me demonstrate" George said, and he reached out to touch the painting, he tickled the pear, too our incredulity, but we understoof when the painting swung open to reveal a passage. George crawled through and beckoned us to follow.

"Welcome to the kitchen" Fred said and what a kitchen it was indeed. Elves bustled back and forth all about, some worked with giant ovens, pumping out pudding after pudding. A few were dusting. They all looked to be enjoying themselves, especially one little elf in the corner, who was dressed in clothes unlike the others. He ran right up. "Dobby!" Fred greeted the clothed elf. "How's our favorite free elf?"

"Dobby is wonderful sir. What can he be doing for you and your new friends?"

"I'm Gabrielle" I said, sticking out my hand to the elf to shake. "And we are looking for some eggs"

"Dobby would love to help you, ma'am. Why do you need eggs?"

"We have our reasons, Dobby." Fred laughed.

Dobby looked at him suspiciously.

"You wouldn't be getting up to mischief again, would you Mr. Fred?"

"Never." Georged drawled. I laughed.

"So you guys have a handle on he eggs clearly" I smiled. "I can go try to talk to Snape, apologize, and Ria can use the cloak to sneak in and get the ingrediants?" I suggested. Fred nodded slowly, considering.

"Could work. She'd need to be careful, real careful" he warned. Ria, who had been listening, nodded.

"I'm fairly sneaky" she smiled. "If she distracts him I can probably get the supplies."

"When should we do it?" CJ asked. "And I think Ria and I should, if Bree borrows Harry's cloak for us. Snape already hates her, why risk him getting suspicious. Ria should talk to him, cause she's Veela, and I'll steal the ingrediants. What do we need?"

"That's a better idea. Sorry Gabbers, you better sit this part out. I'll let you stir the cauldron later. Here's the ingrediants" Fred handed me a page torn from a potions book. it was entitled "Draught of the Egg" I handed it to CJ.

"Fine, but don't get caught Ceej" I bit my fingernail anxiously.

...

"Finally!" I cried as ria and CJ returned to the kitchen, where I sat waiting and talking to Dobby. They'd been gone nearly 40 minutes and I'd been dying of fear.

"Sorry Gabrielle" Ria said apologetically. "We got stuck in the freaking hallway for 20 minutes becuase Peeves was floating around and we didn't dare let him see us, so we were under the cloak. if we had walked though, we would've spilled the ingrediants trying to keep the cloak up. I mean it was a rather unfortunate situation" she said all this in rapid French. Dobby, who had been braiding my hair after requesting if he could, looked at her in confusion.

"She's sorry for being late" I translated. Dobby was the cutest thing ever. He made me smile to my ears.

"Ahh, Dobby sees. Miss Ria was speakking French" he nodded.

"Gabrielle! you never let me braid your hair!" Ria whined, she knew i hated my hair touched.

"Hush Rialla. Dobby only gets to because he's adoreable." I pulled the little elf off the chair he was perched on and gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. If elves could blush he would've been red as a fire engine. "We have to go Dobes, I'm bringing you that little doll sweater that fell into my suitcase by mistake, it'll look handsome on you"

"Oh thank you thank you thank you Miss Brie. Dobby can not thank you enough"

"Aww Dobby. remember what I said, you're an elf, but you're still my equal. you don't need to thank me for doing what friends do." Ria watched me amused, CJ was too busy struggling to fit the ingrediants into the bag an elf had given him so he could cart it back inconspicuously to notice the conversation. We grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him from the kitchen, which was actually something we had to do quite commonly.

"Must you make friends with every breathing creature Brie, you'll have a hoard of elves and Unicorns following you around soon enough" She ruffled my hair, which was falling out of Dobby's loose braid.

"I happen to like elves and Unicorns, okay?" I gave her a playful shove. "Come on, lets go spend the rest of the day in the library, I assume you have Charms homework as well?"

"We're well drowned it it aren't we?" CJ sighed. "Him being the head of house an all I think he gave Ravenclaws a bit extra work to get us back into practice"

"He's nice though" Ria interjected, "How's this McGonagal woman for a head of house, she was strict in her lessons wasn't she?"

"She's not too bad. Strict yeah, but from what I've heard Harry and the others think she's good as head of house. She was nice when I met her at Grimauld Place" We reached the library and went to a table in the way back. "I'm worried about this whole Umbridge thing though, not the prank, I mean that she's watching our mail. I don't like it, I feel trapped" my friends knew better than anyone how much I despised being trapped.

"Well nothing we can do yet, but if we play our cards right maybe we can get a note to your papa over Christmas, If we get it past ministry Owl checkers. and can't you send a letter to dear old Mr. Fudge and appeal for Umbridge to be removed." Ria suggested.

"No, he hates Harry so much I bet he's even growing blind to me, he's converting so many people to hating Harry as well. Did you know that Ron got a letter from his older brother Percy last night, apparently Percy has basically left the family. He sent Ron a letter saying he has to ditch Harry and start siding with umbridge becasue 'big changes are coming' or something like that" I sketched a picture of Ria's face on my parchment, her big eyes full of the fear they were showing now. "These are dark times. Hell, the twins have the only good way of going about it. If you can't laugh, what the hell is there to live for?"

...

Fred and I were crouched over a culdron in Myrtle's bathroom, mixing eye of newt and grasshopper legs into the frothing brew. We had added three egs and three lizard tails, meaning according to Fred, we'd have enough potion to bottle and save for later. "Smells disgusting, sure she won't throw up her food from the smell alone when we slip it to her?" the others had bailed an hour ago to get some sleep. Fred and I had stayed to see the potion into its last thoroughs.

"Nah, we'll slip it into some pumpkin juice, she won't know what hit her." He smiled and stirred the potion clockwise twice.

"Why are you helping me?" I asked him curiously, "Why have all of you been so nice to me?" maybe it was because I was tired, but the questions just slipped out. He looked at me with something akin to amused sadness sitting in those blue pools.

"Because, we like you Gabbers. You're so blind to yourself, that sister of yours makes you think your so damn worthless, and those Beauxbatons girls made you fel unlikable. You never really appreciate yourself the way you appreciate others. We like you becuase you make us laugh, and you're sweet, and you're willing to sit with me while I stir a potion. And we're doing this for you becuase you deserve it, especially after what you did" He traces the second sentance I wrote. "I wouldn't have thought to do that for Harry, for myself, for anybody. It's like things that are odd to other people, they're just... normal to you. That's why we all fell in love with you the first day we met you, because you thought Hermione's hair was beautiful"

a tear drips down my cheek at his words. I smile and squeeze his hand. "Her hair IS beautiful. Haven't you noticed, everyone's beautiful. Accept maybe Delores Umbridge... I never got why Veela were more 'beautiful' than other people. See people are just lines and colors, just a fabriction of bones and blood. strip down everything you put on top and we're just skeletons, pure skeletons with regal bones and sharp jaws. When you get down to whats underneath, the bones are indistinguishable. And put the colors and terxtures back on, they're just colors and textures, and every color is beautiful" Fred was staring at me like I'd said something so odd he could hardly comprehend. The slight admiration in his gaze made me blush for the millionth time.

"I agree, but for the record Gabrielle Delacour, you are still very beautiful, more than anyone I know" He reached out a hand and trailed a finger along my face, his moved closer. HIs lips parted slightly and for a moment I thought he was going to kiss me. My heart beat rose and I could barely breathe"

"WHY ARE YOU MIXING NASTY SMELLING STUFF NEAR MY TOILET? poor unimportant Myrtle, who cares if she smells nasty eggs and icky fumes!" myrte came whizzing over to us, her ghostly arms crossed angrily. "Stupid dead..." she stopped short when she saw me. "Gabrielle?"

"Hey myrtle, I'm really sorry we didn't think about the smell" I apologized "does tomorrow still work for starting my portrait of you?" I could tell all was forgiven. I'd run across Myrtle over the weekend and gotten to talking with her. I wanted to paint her, in all her ghostly glory. The way she shined with incompreble sadness. It was beautifully tragic.

"Yes yes of course" she said, I swear if ghosts could blush. "Didnt mean to yell but I thought it was a couple of bullies" I wanted to reach out and take Myrtle's hand in all its pale glory. That must be the most painful thing about being a ghost, the inability to touch.

"Gabbers the potions as good as it's getting" Fred's ears were distictly red, he hadn't bothered to sass Myrtle or look me in the eyes. He seemed embaressed.

"Are you goeeng to take eet to zee cuisine?" I asked before yawning. Fred laughed and ruffled my hair.

"You're getting tired Gabi, slipping back into your Francais" my eyelids fluttered in respose. Fred pulled me up off the floor and into a hug. "Go to bed Gabs, you have an exciting morning tomorow" he gave me a light shove towards the door. I nodded and headed out of the bathroom, stopping to give hime a wave. his blue eyes flashed with that devilish humor and I didn't even know what I was thinking.

...

I was trying to sit as innocently as possible, a difficult task when you're guilty and you know it. Harry gave me a weird look. "Why are you figiting so much Gabi?" he asked, looking at my fingers, which were tapping out a melody on my desk.

"Nuzzing, I mean I'm not" my accent slipped out and i nearly slammed my hand to my forehead.

"Ookaaay" Harry looked back to Ron and Hermione and shrugged. I couldn't tell if I was nervous or excited, but it was probably both.

"Wands away books out please" Umbridge breezed into the room, looking particularly toady today. I swear the cuts on my hand pulsed in anger, as did my other scar. My other scar was on my chest, right above my heart. Nobody knew how I had gotten it, I had woken the entire house one morning with terrible screams, my parents came running to find their few week old baby clutching her pudged hands to her chest. A mark shaped like a rain drop. It wasn't bleeding, just simply sitting. My father had sent the enter force of aurors out to find absolutley nothing. We never knew who attacked me, or why, but it didn't much matter after the threat had passed. Now the scar and the story are just an unimportant part of me, but one I'd like to know answers about. Even though I don't much care, i'd like to nkow.

we all begrudgingly shoved our wands into our bags and everyone looked at umbridge with mistrustful eyes. She let out a little ahem.

"Turn to page..." Umbridge was cut off as eggs started whizzing out of the cupboard and straight towards her head. The first one smacked her right in the face, coating her nose in goo. Ther second she tried to block, the third she took straight to the neck, by the fourth sshe was running from the room, slamming the door so the eggs would bve blocked. I muttered a spell under my breath, swining the door back open so the eggs could continue their chase. I grinned at my British friends, who were watching in amazement.

"Did you...?" Hermione asked as we listened to Umbridge's screams echoing through the halls. No doubt the whole school would be interrogated. I smiled and shrugged. Hermione's eyes were wide. The whole classroom was laughing and high-fiving, but something in Hermione's expression was off. "Did you read the paper this morning, we got a letter from Ron's brother a few nights ago, and we checked the paper"

"I didn't, why?" my voice grew nervous. Hermione handed me a torn page from the Daily Prophet. I took one look at the headline and gulped. This prank better not trace back to me and my friends, because the new High Inquisitor of Hogwarts would have rights to administer any punishment she wanted, and even Dumbledore wouldn't have a hope of restraining her wrath.


End file.
